


Where Secrets Echo

by Eustacia Vye (eustaciavye)



Category: Harry Potter - Rowling
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-01-07
Updated: 2010-02-03
Packaged: 2017-10-07 00:15:41
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 8
Words: 30,067
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/59272
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eustaciavye/pseuds/Eustacia%20Vye
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Marcus Flint volunteers to observe Katie Bell to be sure she's the one supplying information to the Resistance. She's not sure what his motives truly are...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Getting Caught

Katie Bell was rocking her niece Ellina to sleep just as the front door to her home was kicked in. The baby began to scream, and Katie shushed her as best as she could. She could hear her mother in the kitchen, and the clatter of dishes in the sink that Katie hoped hadn't broken. Katie turned toward the front door, wishing she had her wand in hand. She doubly wished for it when she saw the dark robes and masks of Death Eaters on the faces of the intruders. She tightened her grasp on Ellina. Six hooded figures swarmed into the living room, wands drawn. "There's the traitor," one of them said, pointing his wand at her. The blood drained from her face as she saw the wand, and she half turned so that Ellina wouldn't be hit with whatever spell came out.

"We don't know if it was this one," another said, coming forward.

The first approached, wand still drawn, as Katie's mother came in from the kitchen, her wand in hand. "Well, then... Give that baby to your mother and I'll _interrogate_ you," he said, and Katie could hear the leer in his voice. She was still in her work pants and button down blouse, but Ellina had pulled open the top buttons as she thrashed in Katie's arms.

"Wait," a voice said from the back of the crowd. A seventh was pushing his way into the room, and came to the front.

"What is this?" the newcomer boomed angrily.

"This is the blood traitor we were looking for," the first Death Eater replied, wand still drawn and pointing at Katie.

The newcomer looked between the hooded Death Eater and Katie's stricken face. "You have proof of that?" he asked, voice dangerous and low.

"I'll get it from her," the first Death Eater said, the suggestion clear in his voice how he intended to do just that.

"This is still a Pureblood!" the newcomer boomed behind his mask. The wand in front of Katie wavered slightly. "If you have no proof, there is no call to be here. You've wasted our time!"

"I'll get it," the first Death Eater replied, obviously cowering beneath the rebuke. "She'll tell me. I'll _make_ her tell me."

"You will report back to headquarters," the newcomer said, voice like steel. _"Now."_ When the first Death Eater left, the newcomer stared at Katie, who was still protecting the screaming Ellina from the hooded strangers. "Give the child to Mrs. Bell."

Katie had hoped that they would all just be obliviated. No such luck. With trembling hands, she passed Ellina to her mother, who was staring at her with too-large eyes in an altogether too-pale face. "I'll be all right, Mum," she murmured. "Put Ellie to bed, yeah?" She turned back to the dark robed figures as soon as her mother scurried away with the baby and stood with her back straight. She didn't have her wand, but if they tortured her, she would at least go down proudly.

"There are... _whispers_ that you've become a traitor to your own kind," the newcomer said, voice soft and dangerous.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Katie said, when it seemed she should say something.

"You've been helping the Resistance," another hissed, but the newcomer raised a gloved hand to forestall any other statements.

"No idea? Not even one?" the newcomer asked, voice sounding dangerous.

Even though fear coiled in her gut, Katie shook her head. "I'm just a clerk. I'm not anybody important," she whispered. It was why she had volunteered, of course. She was a clerk at the Prophet, and had indeed passed along news for Potterwatch. She would never admit such a thing, even under Cruciatus.

"Then you won't mind one of ours confirming this," the newcomer said, though it was a command and not an order.

"W-what?" Katie gasped, looking at all of the blank masks. "Confirming what?"

"I'll do it," came a voice from the back. He hadn't spoken before.

The newcomer chuckled and nodded. "Excellent. You do that. I have important matters to attend to." He swept out of the room, and everyone else besides the final voice filed out of her house.

The final Death Eater repaired the front door once they had all left. Katie didn't recognize the spell, or the ones he placed on the front door afterward. She waited there, stock still, until he turned to face her. He tucked his wand into his robes and then carefully removed his mask.

Marcus Flint.

Katie blinked in surprise, but kept her face as impassive as she could. "Still bullying girls?" she asked, sarcasm covering up her fear. He was tall and stocky, with broad shoulders that made his robes fall at an almost menacing angle. His features were coarse, and drawn into a scowl as he stared at her. He was a full head taller than she was, and probably twice her weight. She probably shouldn't have taunted him like that, but she had spoken without thinking. It had always gotten her into trouble as a child.

He stalked forward, and Katie refused to be cowed. She held her ground, even as he grasped her face in his hand. "You're a stupid little girl," he snarled at her. "Do you have any idea what Higgs would have done to you?"

Katie couldn't suppress the tremor that ran down her spine. "I didn't do anything," she said stubbornly, hands curling into fists. "Let go of me."

His sneer was a terrible sight. "You don't get it, do you?" His hand trailed down the edge of her jaw and then circled her throat. Katie's breath caught as he pulled her closer, so that she was flush against him, even though she had brought her arms up between them. "I can do whatever I want to you to get this information. Do you know what that means?" She shook her head dumbly. There were rumors, of course. There were always rumors. The world was full of them. Marcus leaned his head down to whisper in her ear. "You're mine, Katie Bell. I decide your fate."

She tried to push her fists against his chest, but she encountered a solid wall of muscle. His hand tightened around her throat for a fraction of a second, and Katie was instantly afraid he would kill her, right then and there. Her mother would be devastated.

His teeth closed around her earlobe, and he tugged gently. The tip of his tongue touched the skin there, and Katie shivered. "You'll tell me what I want to know, Bell."

"There's nothing to tell," she gasped, pushing at his chest to no avail. She alternately wanted to cry and warn the others. They would have to run again, would have to change frequencies and get new sources of information. If this went the way other reports did, it wouldn't be just her that died. Her mother, sister, brother-in-law and niece would all be killed as well, as a message to all other Resistance fighters. It wasn't just themselves they put at risk, but their entire family.

"Oh, I think there is," he said, the hand at her throat falling to her hip. His other hand was at her other hip, and he was untucking her blouse from her trousers. She shivered, wondering if this was where she would be raped and killed, her body left for her mother to find in the morning. But one hand slipped beneath the waistband of her knickers, the touch soft and light. His other hand came up to her breast, fingers reaching her nipple, caressing it through her bra. "There's always been more to you than you'd let people believe, Bell. Isn't that so?"

She shivered in his grasp, wondering why she stood there, letting him touch her this way. She could defend herself physically. She knew where a man's sensitive bits were. She could do something, make him change his mind, make him realize he shouldn't be pawing at her.

But Katie had a crush on him in her fourth year, and she couldn't quite push his hands away.

Marcus rolled his thumb around a nipple, which pebbled beneath the fabric of her bra. He slid a finger against her folds, tracing them slowly. Katie's breath caught in her throat. "You'll tell me what I want to know, Bell," he whispered in her ear. "I'll be with you until you do."

"I don't know anything," Katie pleaded. "You have to believe me."

Katie gasped as he thrust his finger inside of her. "But you do know something," he told her, beginning to move his finger back and forth in languid strokes. "I've been keeping an eye on you for some time. You're lucky it was me and not Higgs. If he was the one they allowed to stay, you'd be raped and dead before the night is over."

"What are you going to do with me?" she gasped, trying to keep from pushing herself against his touch. "You can't do this."

He moved forward, backing her up against the wall. "Are you going to stop me, Bell? Think you can?" She could hear the sneer in his voice, could feel her body adjust to having his finger inside of her. She was clinging to his robes for balance. That was all. Just balance.

Katie squeezed her eyes shut and bit her lip. She held herself very still, feeling her body stretch around him. Another finger traced her folds, and she gasped when it shifted as if to enter her as well. "Please don't," she whispered. "Flint, don't do this, please."

"Don't do what?" he asked, voice low and almost menacing. "Didn't I just say I could do whatever I wanted?"

"Don't... I haven't..." Katie choked, unable to finish the sentence. She stifled the sobs that threatened to come. She didn't feel very brave anymore, though she couldn't regret her past involvement. She'd helped to save lives, dammit. It was the best she could do after that wasted seventh year and the loss of all her dreams. She was a fucking clerk, after all. She couldn't ever hope for more than that now. "Flint," she whispered, hearing the pleading tone in her voice and hating herself for it, "Please don't hurt me."

"Tell me what I want to know," he answered. The hand at her breast had never stopped moving, and it still felt good, even as she worried what his other hand was going to do. He knew it, damn him. He was grinning against the skin of her neck. He knew she was a virgin, tight around just a finger, knew she was terrified and still trying to hold her tattered pride together. "I will take you tonight, Bell. Katie," he amended, his breath hot and almost ticklish on her neck. "I'll have you beneath me, that's a promise. If you're a good girl and tell me what I want to know, I'll walk away in the morning. You and yours won't be harassed ever again."

He was lying, she knew. If she admitted the truth, they would all die in the morning.

"I haven't done anything wrong," she said, her voice fracturing as he started to slide a second finger inside of her.

"Wrong answer," he said, ignoring the startled noise she made. He brushed his thumb over her clit, smiling when she jumped in shock. Marcus knew she would lie, knew she would continue to lie with her last breath. She was a Gryffindor, after all. She would think it was a brave and selfless thing to do. Her mother and sister were Hufflepuffs, and he didn't know much about her brother-in-law. But he had checked on the Bell family in his parents' register of Pure families, and it had listed the Houses of each member of the Pureblood families. Marcus doubted that her mother or sister would do anything to draw suspicion on the Bell name. And Bell had been friends with Potter at school, having played Quidditch together. It had all made sense.

He was glad she lied, though. He wouldn't have to leave in the morning, but would have to stay on indefinitely.

Marcus heard her stifle a whimper of pleasure and grinned against her neck. He continued to stroke her, feeling the tension slowly drain from her. He turned his head kissed her on the mouth fiercely, tongue sliding through her slack lips. He had surprised her, was continuing to surprise her, and he wanted her so badly he could practically taste it. Marcus stroked her tongue with his, pressing the advantage when she gasped in shock at the contact. He continued to stroke her clit, feeling her body begin to clench down around his fingers. He moved them slowly, in and out of her tight sheath, smiling against her mouth when she moaned and shivered in pleasure.

Katie clung to him, not able to do anything more than feel the sensation building up within her. She gasped, arching her back as it seemed as though there was pressure. It would break her, shatter her, leave her in pieces for Marcus to laugh over. Still, she couldn't quite care. Katie tucked her face into the crook of Marcus' neck after she broke the kiss to breathe. She was panting, clutching onto his robes as if for dear life. She could hear the muffled whimpers she was making, could feel her entire body tighten. "Come for me," he whispered against her ear. She shivered at the sound of his voice, raw and husky with desire. She gasped for breath, curling around his torso, fingers digging into his shoulders. "Katie," he whispered, fingers lightly pinching her nipple. "Come for me."

Another stroke against her clit, and she did just that. She bit her lip and buried her face into his shoulder as she came, feeling as if stars were exploding inside of her. She sagged against him, still clutching at his robes. That was the only thing keeping her upright.

When Katie's breathing seemed to return to normal, Marcus untangled himself and took a half step back. "Go get ready for bed. I'll be right there."

The color seemed to drain from her face. "You can't be serious," she whispered, eyes wide.

"Of course. I plan to lock up and then go to bed." He smiled at her, aware that his crooked teeth and sideways grin wasn't generally considered handsome. "Go on, now."

But Katie couldn't move. She was staring at him in something like horror, back still up against the wall when he stalked forward. "You can't!"

Marcus stepped in front of her, crowding into her, all that she could see in her panic. "I'm your shadow, Katie. Wherever you are, there I am. Whatever you do, I'll see it. Whoever you talk to, I'll hear it. I'll know whatever you're doing. And maybe if I'm convinced you weren't part of the Resistance, I'll leave. You're just lucky Nott's so caught up with salvaging bloodlines and making damn sure that Pures are guilty before they're executed as traitors." His hand closed over her throat, and he could feel her pulse flutter against his palm. "You're lucky it's me that's here, that I'm willing to wait and see for myself."

Katie felt the quiet strength in his hand around her throat. He could kill her if he wanted to. He could kill her entire family. He could do whatever he wanted, and there was no one to stop him. No one was willing to counter the Death Eaters but the Resistance, and they had to stay hidden for the sake of safety and the bigger picture. She would be mourned, her family would be mourned, but no one was coming to save her.

Marcus watched her struggle to blink back tears and not cry in front of him. She probably thought she was being brave, facing his gaze head on. She probably thought she was protecting her virtue or some rot like that. She would be worried about her family, the mother and niece and hidden sister and brother-in-law. Katie was the type to worry about others' safety more than her own, and her family was Hufflepuff enough not to risk theirs for hers.

Still, he liked that she tried. If this had been any other time, he would consider it an honorable trait. But he was a Death Eater, and he had his orders. Nott Senior was a miserable and prejudiced bastard, methodical to the point of madness. Marcus did as he was told, no questions asked; the last one that tried had no tongue any longer.

Marcus leaned down and kissed her mouth. It was a slow kiss, but certainly not gentle by any means. It was possessive, filling her senses and driving her weak in the knees. He pulled back slowly, watching her dazed expression. "I won't hurt you, but there's no sense in protesting. Get ready for bed while I lock up here."

Katie swallowed painfully, her gaze dropping from his as she conceded defeat. _Strategic retreat,_ she tried to tell herself. Her charmed parchment was at work, and she could only warn the others if she survived the weekend and returned to work on Monday. She had her DA coin, though, and her wand was in her bedroom. She could always send a quick message and explain later on Monday.

"Good girl," Marcus murmured, letting his hand drop from her throat. Wheels were turning in her head, he was sure. The hunched posture was an unconscious means of defending herself. She was terrified of him, of what he represented, of what he could do.

He definitely didn't like what that meant.

Marcus layered a complicated series of ward spells over the Bell household. It marked the property as his to defend to other Death Eaters, and barred others from entering the home without his express consent. Even obtaining consent from any of the Bells wouldn't work, as they could easily be coerced. He had no illusions about their bravery; Katie would put up a fight to save her family and friends, but would cave to protect them. No, this had to be taken out of their hands entirely. The next series of spells made it so that the Bell family would never harm him at any time. He then layered a spell over Katie, binding her to him, allowing him to know where she was at all times. The spell also made it impossible for her to truly harm him or allow harm to come to him. It didn't prevent hexes or jinxes, but things like the Unforgivables would be impossible. It was complicated, best done without her interference or knowledge. If she went anywhere untoward, he would know instantly where she was. The spell would need her participation to allow him to know what she was doing or saying, so that was out. He wasn't skilled at Ligilimency, and only knew the rudiments of Occlumency. If there were other ways to figure out what was going on other that simply shadowing her, he didn't know of them.

The Bell house was tiny and shabby compared to Flint Manor, though he supposed they found it comfortable enough. The front door opened into the living area, with a dining area to the left and a kitchen beyond it. There were a few other doors there, likely a bathroom, store room and back door, maybe a basement door as well. Marcus didn't bother to check. The bedrooms were on the second floor, the stairs in a hallway behind the living room. Above him were the family bedrooms, and Katie was there, waiting for him.

With Marcus busy on the first floor, Katie closed the door to her bedroom and dug the DA coin out of her jewelry box. She quickly sent a message through it that she had been compromised, with details to follow if safety allowed. Biting her lip nervously, she pushed the coin in between a tangled mess of necklaces and backed up against her closet doors, facing her bedroom door. She had a relatively small room, given that they had the smallest house on their block. She had a full bed, tall dresser and small writing desk. She had two closets, one of which had a built in bookcase that was jammed full of old textbooks and novels and notebooks. There were no weapons other than her mind and her wand, and her mind was still in shock over what was happening. She was acting like a fucking _girl._ She had to pull herself together and _plan,_ think of some way out of this situation or at least some way to live until Monday.

And if she lived at all past then, she was going to get back at the Death Eater bastards that thought they could callously destroy lives.

***  
***


	2. Settling In

Spells finished, Marcus stalked up the stairs and opened the door to Katie's room. She had her wand in hand, pointing it at him from across the room. She hadn't heard him coming; for such a large man, he had a light tread. She pulled her arm to cast a spell, and Marcus ducked quickly and shouted "Expelliarmus!" faster than she could cast her hex. Her wand flew into his hand, and he stood. His face was as blank as the mask he carried in his pocket, and he looked at her trembling form. They were fine tremors, something he could only see because he was looking for them. She was afraid, still so very afraid, and was trying to fight back. It would be endearing if she hadn't been about to turn his face into a sodding mass of pustules.

After carefully putting her wand on top of her dresser, right next to the jewelry box, Marcus stalked forward. He lazily shut, locked and silenced her bedroom door with a spell. He watched her gulp for air, bravely staring up at him with a defiant jut of her jaw. "I told you to get ready for bed."

"I am," she lied.

He laid a hand on her shoulder heavily, and she flinched. "I'm nowhere near as thick as you believe. Get ready for bed, or I will _make you_ get ready for bed."

Katie probably shouldn't have cornered herself. His entire body was between her and the door, and there was no way around him. She probably should have stayed by the door, knocked him out and then ran down the hall to get her mother and Ellina and apparate somewhere. Why did she always think of things _after_ the time she needed to know it?

"Now," he said, impatience clear in his tone.

"Can you turn around?" she asked, managing to keep her voice even.

"No," he said, eyes flashing at her. "You don't get that privilege after trying to hex my face."

"It would've gone away," she said petulantly. He glowered at her, and Katie suppressed a shiver. She began to unbutton her blouse with shaking fingers, afraid of what he might do. He let her step to the side with it and drop it into her hamper, and watched as she took off her trousers and peeled off her stockings. She stood in her bra and knickers, fighting the urge to cower and cross her arms over her chest under his gaze.

"All of it."

"No."

He stalked forward and grasped her arms. "You'll do as I say."

"Or what?" she asked with more bravado than she felt.

"Do you want to test me?" he asked, voice soft but angry. "Do you want to drag others into this?"

Katie's fear coiled deep in her belly. She tore her eyes away from his and he let go of her arms. She removed her underwear, shivering, feeling his eyes on her body as if it was a touch. She'd never gone this far with a man before, and she wanted to cry.

Marcus gently drew her toward him after dropping his robes onto the floor. He was dressed simply, black clothing in expensive fabrics. He kissed her mouth, one hand along her back holding her against him. The other slid down to cup her arse, pulling her hips close. He was taller, so his erection pressed low into her belly. She shivered in his grip, her hands steadfast at her sides and curled into fists. She didn't respond to his kiss the way she had in the living room, when the shock of the situation had dulled her into pliancy. This was good. Marcus wanted her alive and responsive, wanted her wit and tenacious hold on life. He remembered how she had been on the Quidditch pitch his final year at Hogwarts, trading barbs. He had always wondered what she would be like in bed. Being her first would simply be icing on the cake.

He moved to kiss her neck. "No use in fighting me, Katie."

"I'm not."

"Oh, you're fighting me. I'll break that," he chuckled and tipped her toward her bed. She scuttled backward on it, eying him warily. Marcus sat on the bed beside her, placing his hand on her knee. Her breath caught as he slid his hand along the inside of her thigh. She watched him, eyes wide and luminous, lips parted as if about to say something. He leaned in, capturing her mouth with his, tongue sliding into her mouth. His hand slid up to the juncture of her thighs, and she started at the feel of his fingers along the delicate folds of her sex. He could feel her trembling, could feel the tension ratchet up. He slid his other hand to the back of her neck, her long dark hair caught in his hand. He pulled gently, tilting her head back. She gasped, hands still clenched at her sides, and sat there as he moved to kiss his way down the column of her throat.

Her center was still slick and moist, like warm honey against his fingers. He worked her gently with his fingers, and moved down to suckle one breast. Katie made a soft mewling sound, and tried to push him away. He looked up, lips around her nipple, smiling at her. A blush had crept across her cheeks, and her legs twitched, almost moving restlessly around his hand. Marcus swirled his tongue around the pert nipple, and Katie gasped. She pulled herself back slightly, startled and confused by how gently he was using his hands on her. "Don't," she whimpered, voice breaking.

Marcus sucked harder, making her gasp and twist against him, pressing her breast further into his mouth. His fingers were curled inside of her tight sheath, warm and wet and wanting. "Are you sure?" he said with a lazy smile, lips pressed to the inside of a breast. "Do you want me to stop?" She shook her head almost desperately, eyes wet with unshed tears. "Tell me," he said, steely voice quiet in the silence. "Tell me what you want."

Katie shook her head, near tears and not sure what to ask anyway. "Let me go."

"Never."

She caught his shoulders in her hands, twisting the black fabric between her fingers. "Stop doing this." _I can't think straight!_

"All right," he agreed, though his eyes glinted. He withdrew his fingers, and Katie felt bereft without them. It was a short lived feeling; Marcus shifted position and brought his mouth directly to the juncture of her thighs, licking her clit with sure strokes. Katie trembled, gasping as her hips almost met his mouth of their own accord. He grasped her hips and tugged gently, pulling her down onto the bed and making it easier for him to pleasure her with his mouth. She shoved her fist into her mouth to keep from crying out at the sensation of his tongue against her, a finger inside her and his other hand lying flat over her stomach. She made soft sounds, panted, trying to keep quiet. She shouldn't have, but she wanted more of him, more than what he was giving her, whatever _more_ would mean. She could regret it later, could scramble and recover later. For right now, her body clenched tight around his fingers, her hips canted up to his mouth and she stifled her mewls of pleasure and ignored the feel of his lips stretching into a smile.

After she came, he moved to take a breast into his mouth, his fingers continuing to work her. She had rocked and bucked beneath his mouth, muffling herself with one hand and clutching at her sheets with the other. Now that hand clutched at his back, nails scratching him through the fabric of his shirt. She was pulling on it, pulling up to expose his back, to feel the play of his muscles beneath her fingertips. He let go of her breast long enough to shrug out of the shirt, then resumed suckling her. Katie curled around him, loving the feel of him and feeling dirty for liking it. Good girls should have fought this harder, right? Good girls would rather die than let themselves be used this way, right? But then she was coming again, and her thoughts short circuited.

Marcus kicked off his pants and shorts, then positioned himself at her entrance. Katie looked at him with wide eyes, hands up by her mouth. She could feel the hand at her hip tighten a fraction, holding her in place. "I'll be careful," he told her quietly, his expression unreadable. "I'll take care of you." Katie could feel her nerves flutter in her stomach, and she gave him a fraction of a nod almost hesitantly. She felt helpless, not like herself at all. She should have shouted at him, punched him, kicked him, _something,_ but she was also afraid of what he might do when angry. If they had been anywhere else, she wouldn't have been so afraid that her family would be next.

He stretched out on top of her, only the tip of his cock inside of her. He kissed her, mouth open and greedy, tongue sliding inside to stroke her tongue. Katie held onto his shoulders, almost dizzy from his kiss, and let out a startled cry of pain when he drove into her to the hilt. She turned her head abruptly, gasping, blinking back tears she didn't want him to see. Marcus kissed the side of her neck almost delicately, almost in remorse, cradling her torso with one arm. "I'm sorry," he murmured in her ear. Katie sniffled, blinking rapidly as she avoided his gaze. He reached between their bodies to stroke her clit, pressing kisses to her pulse. He stayed still, deep inside of her until she came again. Only then did he move inside of her, long languid strokes until she was gasping with pleasure. He kissed her on the mouth again, taking her in as if he was drowning and she was the only source of air.

Afterward, he cleaned both of them with a series of charms. Katie curled up on her side on the edge of her bed, facing away from him. Marcus took up the bulk of the bed, staring at the smooth lines of her back. She shook slightly, and he could hear the occasional sniffle. Otherwise, her crying was so silent that he wouldn't have known if he hadn't been looking for it. Marcus pulled her closer, so that her back was flat against his chest, his arm around her and hand resting over her stomach. The tremors stopped, and the sniffles slowed in frequency. Neither said a word, and at some point, they both slept.

Even though her alarm was off, Katie's eyes snapped open the next morning at six am the way she usually did. She felt disoriented for a moment, in that she was lying on her side instead of her back or stomach, an arm draped across her stomach. She swallowed nervously when she remembered what had happened the night before, and let her eyes fall shut as she blew out a breath. Marcus' breathing was slow and even behind her, his breath warm and moist against the back of her bare neck. It hadn't been as horrible as she feared it would be, and she hadn't hurt as much as she had feared she might. He had been gentle with her, though he hadn't been above threatening her or her family. She didn't think she could ever forgive that.

Katie carefully unwound his arm from her waist and slipped out of bed. She didn't realize Marcus woke up the moment she moved, as he kept his breathing in the same careful rhythm. He watched her through half lidded eyes as she took clothes out of her dresser and hastily dressed, tucking her wand into her hair after twisting it up into a sloppy bun. He could feel her troubled gaze on him, but continued to pretend to sleep. He was confident in his spellwork, that she wouldn't try to kill him. It was another thing to maim or disfigure him, however, and the next few minutes were a calculated risk.

She slipped from her room and stepped out into the hallway, not looking back.

Marcus got up and opened her bedroom door a crack to watch her as she went to the room on the opposite side of the hallway. It turned out to be the loo. When she stepped out of the room, another door down the hallway opened, and her mother stepped out into the hallway. "Katie?" Evelyn Bell asked, voice trembling. "Are you all right?"

Katie pasted a smile onto her face. "I'm fine, Mum." She blinked back tears that threatened to form. "I'm so sorry, Mum. I'm so sorry..."

"Sh... We'll figure something out, Katie. It's not your fault," Evelyn murmured, tucking a lock of Katie's long, dark hair behind her ear. "We'll figure something out, I'm sure we will."

"Yeah, you're right. It's going to be okay."

"You aren't hurt?" Evelyn asked softly. She grasped hold of Katie's hands and looked her over. "They didn't do anything?"

"I'm okay, Mum," Katie lied, squeezing her mother's hands. "He didn't hurt me."

_"He?"_ Evelyn asked, surprised.

"They didn't believe me, so they assigned someone to follow me until they know what to do with me." Her voice was bitter, though Marcus could hear the fear in it, too. "They didn't want to just kill me outright since I'm a Pureblood," she choked. Katie brought a hand up to her mouth and tried to blink back tears. "What am I going to do, Mum? I'm so sorry..."

Evelyn pulled Katie into a hug. "Oh, honey. This isn't your fault. Don't you dare think this is your fault." After a moment, Katie quieted. "As for what we're going to do... Well, we're going to do what we always do."

Katie pulled back. "What do you mean?"

"It's Saturday. Chores still have to be done. Food still has to be cooked," Evelyn said briskly. "They won't do themselves. Someone still has to set the charms in motion." Evelyn searched Katie's face earnestly. "He's still here, then, your Death Eater?"

Katie reacted as if slapped, but after a moment nodded. "Sleeping," she choked out.

Evelyn nodded. "Ellina will be up soon. I couldn't sleep well not knowing, and I couldn't leave her. I'll need to make up a bottle." Evelyn put on a brave face. "We do the same thing we always do, Katie. That's all we can do."

Katie looked lost for a moment as Evelyn went down the stairs to the kitchen. She looked young, almost like the fourth year student Marcus had last seen when he graduated Hogwarts. He almost opened the door to say something to snap her out of it, but she squared her slumped shoulders and went downstairs with a purposeful step.

_That's my girl,_ he thought with a smirk. Marcus didn't bother to question the thought. He quickly dressed in his clothing from the night before after placing a few freshening charms on them, then went downstairs.

Katie didn't know what to think, and wished that her thoughts would settle down and her feelings would sort themselves out. The last time she had felt this helpless and confused had been when she woke up on the Spell Damage ward of St. Mungo's just that past spring, after months in a magical coma. Her recovery had been slow and painful, tinged with anger and bitterness and regret for a year wasted. The school was nice enough to let her return, let her back on the Quidditch team for the final game, but the year was over. Any hope she had for attending open tryouts in the spring to get a slot on a professional team were over and done with. And then her father's death... Everything horrible in her life could be traced back to Death Eaters and their petty prejudices. Still, she was glad that Selene and Kyle had been out celebrating their anniversary the night before. She didn't want to think about what the Death Eaters might have done to them if they had been home.

She looked up as Marcus came into the kitchen, dressed in black and taking up entirely too much space. She was in old denims, a loose T shirt and faded trainers that were no good for anything but yard work. He seemed intimidating even when not trying, though Katie had to be honest about that. It was as much her own fears as his status that made him intimidating. She knew there was a Dark Mark on his left forearm, knew exactly what it meant for her and her family.

She had known the risks she had taken, but somehow it hadn't felt real until the night before.

"Good morning," he said amiably when Katie seemed frozen. Evelyn turned around from her position at the stove, startled at the sight of him. "I'm Marcus Flint. I'll be staying for a while."

Katie's jaw clenched, but she remained silent as she set the table for breakfast. After a moment, she saw her mother reach out to the egg basket and take three more. With a sigh, she set out a third place. "Katie, check that El's bottle is warm enough?"

"Yes, Mum," Katie murmured, moving to the stove. She checked the contents of the bottle on the inside of her wrist and moved the warm water bath off of the stove. "I'll go wake Ellie." She disappeared upstairs quickly.

"Do you know how long you'll be staying, Mr. Flint?" Evelyn asked Marcus, watching him sit down at the table.

His smile was an edged thing, sharp and almost frightening. "It all depends, Mrs. Bell. Someone seems to think your daughter is a member of the Resistance, and that certainly isn't good for anyone's health."

Evelyn eyed him almost warily, but her jaw set. "My Kate is a good girl, Mr. Flint. She knows what the right thing to do is."

"And what would that be?" Marcus asked with that same smile. She was a Hufflepuff, and not given to overly dramatic displays of bravery the way Gryffindors were, but Evelyn Bell would likely do something if she thought Katie was in trouble.

Evelyn sniffed. "Kate is the good sort, Mr. Flint. She doesn't hang about with a bad lot." She turned her back on him deliberately, whisking the eggs by the stove. "It would be good of you to say such a thing."

"Well, our definitions of good might be a bit different."

She snorted as she poured the egg mixture into the pan that already had mushrooms and vegetables cooking in it. "There's no such thing as different kinds of good, Mr. Flint. She's a hard working girl and does the right thing and I won't have you say otherwise."

Marcus smirked at her back. He'd had a feeling that Katie's mother might have known what she was up to. Whatever it was, it wasn't something obvious that could get any of them in trouble. Katie at least had that much sense.

They were silent until the omelettes were done. Evelyn called Katie down, and she arrived at the table with Ellina and the empty bottle. Ellina was placed in a bassinet in the corner with a few toys. Marcus hadn't even noticed it. Breakfast was a tense and silent affair, punctuated only by Ellina's happy gurgles as she banged her toys together. By the time breakfast was over and the table was cleared, Evelyn went upstairs to wash up for the day. "I'll do the shopping," Evelyn reported once she was done and ready to leave the house. Katie had gone about collecting laundry to bring it to the laundry room and Marcus had followed. "We'll need a few extra things, I suspect."

"I'll be fine, Mum," Katie said bravely, pasting a smile on her face. "I've got lots to do today." She glared at Marcus, standing in the kitchen doorway, arms crossed as he watched her move about the house. "And everyone that lives here does chores. So you can clean out the loo this morning," she told him sweetly.

Marcus merely lofted an eyebrow at her. "That's house elf work."

"And we haven't got any of those. So go take care of that. I've enough work to do without you getting in my way."

He smirked, watching her move about to get the laundry started, then move to the sink to wash the dishes from breakfast. "I think I rather enjoy the view from here."

She made an inarticulate sound of frustration and whirled around, soapy sponge in hand. "Just clean the sodding loo and leave me fifteen minutes of bloody peace!"

Marcus turned and left as Ellina began to wail at Katie's harsh tone of voice. He let her soothe the baby as he went up the stairs. The loo wasn't quite as small as he would have thought, given the size of the house, but he had never cleaned anything in his life before. He quickly apparated home to Flint Manor and summoned a house elf. He had it pack some of his clothes and personal possessions and ordered it to move to the Bell household. Once that was completed, the house elf was to begin caring for the Bell house. The elf was scandalized that a Pureblood family didn't have a proper house elf, and was only too happy to start cleaning out the second floor. That taken care of, he stretched out on Katie's bed to take a nap.

When he woke up later, it was too quiet. Katie was in the house, just down the hall. Marcus entered the loo, seeing her lying in a tub full of steaming water, bubbles everywhere, eyes closed as she lounged there. Marcus knelt beside the tub and reached out to touch her. She started, twitching away from his touch with a gasp. He leaned in, eyes locked to hers, and slid his hand down beneath the edge of the water to rest over her stomach. "Where are you off to?" he asked quietly. "There's nowhere you can run."

"Get out!" she hissed, pushing his hands aside. "What's wrong with you?"

Katie twisted out of his grip, her arms slippery with the soap. She splashed soapy water into his face and moved past him. He caught her about the waist, knowing exactly where she was without looking. Katie let out a cry of dismay when he pushed her up against the bathroom wall. She struggled against him, but he easily held her in place by pressing his body tightly against hers, her arms caught tight between them. He took her towel to wipe at his face, then turned to look at her. She was trying to twist out from under him, a mixture of anger and panic in her eyes. Marcus kept her pinned there, waiting until she calmed down. Her panic only grew worse when she felt his erection against her hip.

Marcus slid a hand behind her head and tilted it back. She made a soft whimpering sound, sounding something like fear, and bit her lip to stop herself from making any more noise. "Do you really think I'm going to hurt you?" he asked, voice low. He was trying to keep his frustration in check; apparently threatening her earlier was backfiring. Katie let her eyes slide shut as she nodded and turned away from him. She didn't want to see his expression, sure that he was gloating.

But his lips hovered by her ear and he pressed them against her cheek. "Did I hurt you yesterday? Did I let Higgs stay with you? Why do you think I'd do something to you today?" She shivered in his grasp, but kept her mouth shut. Marcus was really starting to get annoyed, even if this was all he could reasonably expect from insinuating he'd kill her and her family. Marcus had one hand over her chest, and let it slide down to cup a breast. "Answer me, Katie."

"You already... Yesterday," she choked out, not able to meet his eyes. "Why would you want to today?"

Marcus licked her jaw and then moved to kiss her mouth gently. She opened her eyes in surprise but remained stock still in his arms. "Did you think this was going to be a one time thing, Katie?" he murmured. She shivered as the hand at the back of her neck slid down to cup her arse, his touch still gentle.

"You wouldn't have looked at me twice before this bloody war. You honestly expect me to believe you're doing this because you actually want me?"

"If not for this war, my Mum would be alive, and she would have chosen a Pureblood witch of sufficient wealth to match ours," Marcus agreed. "But she's dead, and I make my own choices."

Katie shivered when the hand at her arse kneaded her flesh, the tips of his fingers brushing against her folds. "Why me?" she asked, voice soft.

"You're convenient," Marcus lied. For some reason, when Higgs had first mentioned her three weeks before, Marcus had felt a rush of pity. Higgs had a disturbing tendency to play viciously with his prey, rather like Bellatrix Lestrange. He remembered Katie Bell as the vivacious, mouthy girl trading insults on the pitch and taking all of the injuries in stride. He'd done his own surreptitious monitoring, and hadn't seen any out of the ordinary behavior. For some reason, he didn't want to subject the girl he remembered to Higg's mercy.

Katie attempted to shove him off of her, but he was difficult to move. All she succeeded in doing was getting him to shift his attention from her breast and arse to her belly and hip. Marcus slid one hand between her thighs and curled his fingers inside of her. Katie made a soft mewling noise as she clutched at his shirt. "You giant, throbbing _arse,"_ she gasped, twisting in his grasp. "Stop it!"

He took her earlobe between his teeth with a smile. "Do you mean that?" he asked, breath hot against her ear. He slid his fingers in and out of her center, feeling them grow slick. "Feels like you don't. Feels like you want me to continue." He kissed her neck when she made a soft moan. "Feels like you want me to make you come."

She made an inarticulate moan when he brushed his thumb over her clit and sucked at the skin of her neck. "Let go of me," she insisted. "You can't treat me like this!"

Marcus loosened his hold on her, but kept the rhythm of his stroking fingers. "You're right," he murmured against her neck. "I should give you the opportunity to tease me back."

Katie's jaw dropped at the audacious line, but she couldn't think of anything witty to say in reply. Marcus took advantage and kissed her mouth, tongue sliding in to stroke hers. Katie moved her hands to hold onto his shoulders as her knees gave out. Even after she broke the kiss to breathe, she clutched at him desperately as he worked her body with his fingers. Katie could feel her hips cant toward his hand, but couldn't summon up enough maidenly outrage as he worked her toward orgasm. "You're a bloody evil wanker," she gasped, feeling her body tighten around his fingers. She was close, so very close, and Marcus just laughed in her ear and moved his thumb across her clit a touch harder. "Oh!"

Marcus picked her up in his arms when she went boneless after her orgasm. He got the bathroom door open with some difficulty, and her bedroom door with even more difficulty. Still, he managed to get her into the room and onto the bed. He shut the door and locked it, in case her mother decided to check on her after her errands. "Baby's sleeping, I suppose," he guessed.

Nodding, Katie pushed herself up on her elbows. "I have a monitoring charm on my wand, but it's in the loo." She watched as Marcus unlocked her door and summoned it from the bathroom. "What are you going to do?" she asked quietly, a look of concern on her face.

Stripping, Marcus joined her on the bed. "Make you come a few more times," he said flippantly. He kissed her then, cutting off her reply. He didn't want to examine his motives for this. It was an easy assignment, one with plenty of perks. It was a lot more fun to spend time with Katie Bell than the Death Eater squads going muggle baiting. He would have to check in at some point, he was sure, but for right now there was no definite end to this assignment. He grasped one of her hands and closed it over his cock, guiding her into stroking it. "That's it, Katie," he murmured against her neck. "Like that."

Katie supposed she could have run, could have hit him over the head to knock him out, could have refused. But she continued the motion even after his own hand moved, even after his lips closed around a nipple and he traced it with her tongue. She felt troubled, to be sure, and off her balance. She liked what he did to her body, even if she didn't like the situation they were in. What did it mean that she was willing to do this, that she wanted him to touch her like this, that she didn't scream or carry on. This wasn't rape but coercion, and she couldn't even muster up enough hate or outrage for it. Maybe because it was the best possible outcome that could have happened after an entire squad of Death Eaters blasted open her front door Friday night. Maybe because he _wasn't_ hurting her physically, and it was only her pride suffering. Maybe because her family would be safe as long as he didn't have reason to lash out. Maybe because she used to daydream in fourth year about this, and he finally noticed her.

Ellina made a cry, amplified by Katie's wand, and she jerked in surprise. "I need to go," she gasped, pushing Marcus away and jumping off of the bed. She hastily grabbed clothes and dressed, feeling Marcus' eyes on her back. She grabbed her wand and went down the hall to take care of her niece, just stirring from her nap.

Marcus watched her go, amused by her discomfiture. He couldn't expect better, really, but trying gave him something to do.

***  
***


	3. Between The Lines

Marcus found Katie in the living room with the baby. Ellina was seated on the floor, reaching for Katie's long hair. Katie had her back to the stairs, and didn't notice Marcus standing there watching her. Katie caught the baby's hands and pulled her hair away. She was singing along to the radio, off key but somehow still endearing. The baby laughed, pulling on her hands and trying to lift herself up. Laughing along with her, Katie let the baby pull on her, as if climbing up her arms, and guided her to the floor gently when she fell back. Katie pushed herself up on all fours over the baby, her hair falling down onto Ellina's face. Ellina yanked on it, making Katie yelp, but the baby only laughed at her. "Cheeky thing, aren't you?" Katie said with a laugh, moving into the yoga position downward facing dog. "You're going to be like Mummy, aren't you? Or maybe a little like Auntie Katie?"

Katie noticed black clad legs behind her and gasped, moving out of the yoga position. She sat there beside the baby with large eyes, looking up at Marcus. He was standing in the archway, leaning lazily against it with his arms crossed over his chest. His expression was difficult to read, but he wasn't angry with her, at least. "She's calmer now," he commented.

"Just needs sleep and food and nappy changes," Katie murmured, shrugging. "She's an easy baby, at least."

"So why are you here with her, then?" Marcus asked, staring at her as she scooped up the baby and held her almost protectively against her chest.

"Selene's at work. Kyle, too. Someone has to stay with her," Katie replied almost defensively.

Whatever Marcus would have said next went unspoken. Evelyn returned from her shopping just then, and Katie put Ellina down to help her mother with the groceries. Marcus hung back, watching them. It was just after lunch, and Katie had apparently made herself something while he had been asleep. Evelyn apparently didn't eat much, as she said something about getting a bite while out. Neither offered Marcus anything for lunch, which he found amusing. As he watched Katie put the groceries away, he felt a tug on his leg. Katie had put Ellina down onto her back, but the baby had rolled over and was grasping his pant leg and tugging on it as firmly as she had on Katie's hair. Marcus squatted down, not sure what to do with the baby. Most society families had nanny elves, and babies weren't seen when not presented by proud parents. There might be a trick or two to display to the world at large, but for the most part, babies were nanny elf responsibilities until they were well into toddlerhood and sometimes even past then. An only child, Marcus didn't even know what to do with babies.

Ellina reached out for his nose, laughing when she managed to hook her thumb into his nostril and pull. Marcus disengaged her as best as he could, and looked about for something else to amuse the baby with. He was aware of Katie and her mother talking in the kitchen, and of Katie becoming upset. "But it's just until tea!" Katie was saying, trying to keep her voice down.

"And I said no," Evelyn said calmly, putting away a box. Marcus had no idea what half of the things on the table had been; house elves did all the menial tasks like shopping, cooking and cleaning. "I need you here, Katie."

Neither even bothered to glance into the living room. He found it curious that they trusted him with the infant when they didn't seem to trust him with their own lives. "It's my only chance to practice," Katie insisted. "I haven't gone in a month."

"There's too much to do, Katie," Evelyn told her patiently. "The front's only partly done, and there's the side yard and the back, and the gardens. Then there's the hedges..."

"I can do all that tomorrow while you're out," Katie said dismissively. "It's not even for long, just a few hours. I need to get the practice in while it's still light. I can't do that when Selene and Kyle are back."

"No," Evelyn said, voice firm. "I need you _here."_

"He'd have to follow me there," Katie said, voice sullen as her shoulders slumped in defeat. "He'd be gone for a while, you don't have to worry about him hovering about."

Evelyn sighed. "Katie, let it go. We need you here, not up in the clouds somewhere..."

Katie had been clearing the dried dishes out of the dish rack. She slammed a pot into the cupboard beneath the counter top and shut the door. It startled Ellina, who looked about with large eyes. Marcus managed to shush her by letting her play with his large fingers. "That isn't fair, Mum," Katie hissed, eyes watering. "And I _won't_ let it go. And I'm still going out tonight as planned."

"Katie, don't do that... Are you sure it's wise...?"

"I've had it planned for a month, and I'm not going to give that up, too. I didn't do anything, so there's nothing to see."

Katie rushed into the living room, surprised to see Ellina calmly playing with Marcus's hands, occasionally gnawing on them. He didn't even seem to grimace at the feel of her newly cut teeth chewing on a knuckle. She scooped up the baby and grabbed one of the plush toys on the floor and then went upstairs without a word. Marcus scooped up the rest of them and headed upstairs after her.

"What was that about?" he called after her. She was headed to the doorway next to hers, which turned out to be Ellina's nursery.

"Nothing," Katie said, moving to sit on the floor to Ellina's room. She had her determined face on, the one he remembered from Quidditch. He could play that game, too. She looked up as he sat down beside her. "What are you doing?"

"Whatever you are," he said, shrugging. "So what are you doing?"

With a sigh, Katie began to play with Ellina, and Marcus was obliged to do the same. At tea time, Selene and Kyle returned from work, surprised to see Marcus there. Clearly startled, neither said a word even after he sat down with them, shirtsleeves pushed up and Dark Mark exposed. They retrieved their baby and disappeared up into their room, leaving Evelyn to begin getting ready for dinner and Katie to begin getting ready to go out.

Katie went to the Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade, visibly brightening when she saw who she was going to meet. Marcus dimly remembered their names from their Quidditch kits, but kept silent as he followed Katie into the pub. It was quieter than he remembered, and there were curious stares as he passed. His glower likely didn't help matters. "Ali, Angie. I am _so_ glad to see you!"

"Seems you've got a shadow, Katie," Angelina Johnson said, eying Marcus as he slid into the booth beside Katie. He stared back at her blandly, aware she was in training to be an Auror.

"Yeah, well, someone got it up in their heads I needed one," Katie replied, glaring at the side of Marcus' head.

"Someone had the wrong idea, then," Alicia Spinnet replied with a snort. "As if you do anything dangerous." She slid her pint across the table at Katie. "There you go. Drink up and forget he's even there." She signaled for another pint as Katie drank deeply from the glass.

The conversation was inane, and the three girls were intent on ignoring Marcus' presence. He was fine with that, tuning out most of the gossip. He didn't need to know who was dating who, especially if he didn't recognize the names. None of them mentioned the important names, and he was quickly bored. He perked up a bit when Katie mentioned the last name Weasley, but it turned out to be grumbling about regulations Percy Weasley had instated regarding proper filing and disposal of waste office materials.

"Shove over, Flint," Katie remarked partway through dinner. At his expression, she rolled her eyes. "I've got to go to the loo."

"Why are they going with you?" he intoned, seeing Alicia and Angelina get up as well.

"Are you mental?" Angelina cried. "After what happened here last year? She's not going there alone again."

Marcus hadn't really looked into Katie's history past the basics, and didn't know what they were referring to. He mentally added it to his list of things to ask about as he let them pass.

Angelina cornered Katie inside the restroom after checking to be sure no one else was in it. "All right, Bell, spill."

"Someone had me pegged as Resistance," Katie said, looking at her friends nervously. "A whole squad attacked the house Friday night. He said Higgs would've raped and killed me if he hadn't stepped in to oversee me."

Alicia pulled her into a hug as Angelina processed the information. "Sweetie, are you all right?"

Katie didn't want to tell either of them what really happened. "Could be worse, I suppose."

Angelina nodded, which did nothing to help Katie's spirits. "Yeah, could be. You don't want to know how much worse." She looked at Katie and sighed. "How much does he know?"

"I keep protesting I'm nothing more than a clerk. He doesn't believe me."

Both girls laughed. "All right, he's not as thick as I hoped," Angelina said finally.

"I can possibly still get messages across," Katie said, determined. "It'll be harder, but I'm still going to try. You need to let them know, if you can. I'm going to try to explain Monday."

"Oh, honey," Alicia murmured, shaking her head. "You've got to stop now, while there's still no proof of anything."

"We can handle it from here."

"You don't have access like I've got," Katie insisted. "They're watching you as it is," she told Angelina firmly. She looked over at Alicia and pulled a face. "And they can't start watching you, Ali. You're half. If they suspect anything, they'll kill you. I'm at least Pure, and that wanker's boss doesn't want to kill any Pures if he doesn't have to."

"Merlin thank Pureblood shite," Angelina snorted. "Are you _sure?"_ she asked after a moment. "This is more dangerous than you asked for."

"I said I knew the risks," Katie told her friend bravely. "My family's behind me, still. I just have to be more careful." She smiled at them with more calm than she felt. "I do know the twins, after all. Some of the sneaky rubbed off."

"You can't let them take more of your family away," Alicia told her in a quiet voice. "If it's too much, just back off. No one will think less of you."

"I would," Katie murmured.

"Just be careful. You're on your own in this," Angelina told her seriously. "You haven't any backup if it goes tits up."

She gave them both a watery smile. "I know. But I have to." _Dad would have._

The rest of dinner went fairly well, as if the interlude had never happened. Though Marcus glowered at them, he didn't interrupt or make any snide comments. He grasped Katie's hand afterward and apparated them back to the Bell home. It was late, and the others were asleep in their rooms already. "You're good friends with them," he commented mildly.

Katie nodded and put her coat away. "We've kept up after school."

She was almost startled at the way he seemed to tower over her when she turned around. "What did they mean there, when they couldn't leave you alone?"

Nerves coiled in her belly, as well as the familiar sort of helpless feeling that came with her memories of St. Mungo's. "It was last year," Katie began. She tried to side step him, but he continued to block her path. "I don't like thinking about it, all right?"

"No, it's not all right. Answer me."

She looked up at him evenly. "Madam Rosmerta put Imperius on me and had me carry a cursed necklace. I only touched it with a fingertip and it nearly killed me. She did that on my way out of the loo. Can I go now?"

Marcus heard the pain in her voice and felt like a fool. He cupped her face in his hand, running the edge of his thumb over her lip. "You're fine now, are you?"

"As well as can be expected," she snapped. "I need to go wash up."

"Don't wear anything to bed from now on," he murmured, dropping his hand from her face. His meaning was unmistakable. "I'll lock up and meet you there."

Katie all but fled his side. Still, when Marcus went into her bedroom, she was curled beneath the covers, shivering in spite of the warming charms and coverlet. He pulled back the covers to reveal her bare body, and he stripped quickly. He covered them both and tucked her against his warmth. Almost angry with herself for complying without a fight, Katie lay there stiffly. Still, he was warm and he was only stroking her back. She let herself get lulled by the sound of his heart beneath her ear, by the warmth of him and her own exhaustion from being at attention and tense all day long. She didn't even protest when his hand moved to the side of her breast, when his other hand stroked her sides. Katie let him push her onto her back and clutched at his shoulders when he moved to suckle her breasts. She gasped when his fingers moved to her legs, sounding almost like a sob.

"What is it?" he asked, voice quiet as he stilled above her. She shook her head, fingers tight on his shoulders. "Is it like the nothing from this afternoon?"

Katie shut her eyes and tried to still her racing heart. She was a riot of emotions and didn't know what to say. "It doesn't matter," she said finally. That was true enough. It didn't matter. He wanted her and it at least felt good. She supposed she should be thankful he wasn't hurting her.

"It does to me," he told her, an edge to his voice she couldn't name.

"I'm tired and sore and just... _tired,"_ she said with a sigh. She kept her eyes closed, not wanting to see the sneer that must be on his face. She was being weak and succumbing to her fears, but she couldn't help it.

Marcus didn't answer her, and moved back to her breast. He didn't suppose this was easy on her, though she refused to simply cave in. She was determined to play out her role as the brave little Gryffindor being forced to deal with the nasty Slytherin troll, and Marcus wasn't about to end the little charade. He moved over her body, bringing her to climax with his mouth and hands, losing count of how many times it took before she forgot to stifle her cries. He was hard just from the sound of her, the taste of her, the feel of her clenching down around his fingers as she twisted beneath his mouth. Marcus slid between her spread legs, reveling in the wet warmth of her. He was glad she was making it a challenge to figure out how she was doing it. He knew she was a Resistance member, even if her doe eyes could fool the elder Death Eaters.

Selene was a slightly older version of Katie, though she seemed almost nondescript as far as Marcus was concerned. Kyle was a thin, reedy sort of fellow with dark hair and blue eyes that tended to fade into the background as well. Marcus wondered how much of it was because he was there, but didn't spend too much time contemplating them. They apparently worked at the family shop every day of the week, with slightly reduced hours on weekends. Evelyn spent her Sundays working as a companion to an older woman in the neighborhood, and her weekdays babysitting Ellina and the other young children nearby. That was apparently what Katie had meant by Saturday afternoon being her only opportunity to go out.

He followed her outside of the house. He noticed she was in the run down clothing she had started her Saturday in, and wondered if they were really as poor as that. He had thought that only the Weasleys were that badly off, and only because of the seven children in their case. With just two girls, the Bell family shouldn't have been that poor.

As Katie began the yard work, Marcus found himself growing more and more horrified. "What are you _doing?"_

"Raking," she answered, not looking up from her task. She'd tried magical rakes in the past, which were helpful in getting though the underbrush of the greenery that made up the property line. Unfortunately, they tended to also take up the flowers her mother planted, as well as completely ruining the vegetable garden. Evelyn had started the garden, but Katie was the one that really put the effort into it and buffered the warming charms on the area as the cold weather had set in.

Marcus frowned at her. "Are you stuck doing house elf duty every weekend, then?"

"I told you yesterday. We haven't any house elves." Katie had put off the task for weeks, and it had rained other weekends she had actually been willing to do it. As a result, she had the entire autumn's worth of leaves to rake the first week of December, and the hours she had spent the day before barely made a dent in it. She looked up, frustration showing. "You could help instead of just standing there like a lump."

"I've never done anything like this," he protested.

"It's easy," Katie scoffed. He was obviously reluctant, and it sent a bubble of malicious joy through her. "What? Don't tell me you're afraid of a little work."

He shrugged and ultimately agreed to help her rake and gather up the leaves from the yard. "So why is it that you're doing this? And don't give me the lack of house elf reason."

Katie shrugged and looked down at the pile she was making. "It used to be Dad."

"But?" he prompted when she fell silent.

"But he died," Katie told him abruptly, her jaw clenching in spite of her resolve not to make her day any worse than it was going to be. "So now it's my job."

Marcus could tell it was a sore subject, but couldn't help but prod at the wound a bit. "How'd he die, then? Was it recent?"

"Why do you fucking care?" Katie nearly snarled at him. She gripped the rake in her hands tightly when he was silent. "Every horrid thing that ever happened to me is because of you and your Death Eater friends. Don't pretend you give a fuck what happened."

He grabbed her arm and spun her about until she crashed into his chest. "What's that supposed to mean, then?" he asked, voice hard and brooking no argument.

Katie shook his arm off, and he let go. "I got cursed to carry around a necklace intended to kill someone last year. I spent _six months_ at Mungo's, five of them nearly dead myself. I missed my sister's wedding. No chance to fly professionally. My father looked for who might've gotten Rosmerta to curse me, and he wound up dead just after I woke up. And now you, acting like you can just walk right in and take over my life, and all I am is a fucking clerk with no future past that!"

More than enough reason to join the Resistance, in addition to being Potter's friend. He reached out and touched her face, watching dispassionately as her chest heaved with the force of her pent up emotions. She slapped his hand away, annoyed. "I'm better than the alternative," Marcus pointed out patiently.

"I deserve better than that," Katie hissed at him angrily.

"Maybe," Marcus conceded. "But I'm all you've got. And you're lucky I don't mind this."

Katie paled and fell silent. She began raking again, stiffly at first, and slowly finding her rhythm again. Marcus had indeed picked up the idea rather quickly, and wasn't having any trouble raking up the leaves on the front and side lawns. After about a half hour, Marcus looked up. "You said you missed your sister's wedding." She gave him a sullen nod. "How old is that baby?"

"Almost seven months."

Marcus snickered in spite of himself. "Anticipating the wedding a bit, weren't they?"

She flushed on her sister's behalf. "They were engaged for almost two years before the wedding. They almost didn't go through with it because of me."

"I suppose Ellina will be glad they did when she's old enough to know what legitimate means," Marcus mused. Katie was surprised he had even caught the baby's name. "Where did they come up with that name, anyway? Old family one?"

Katie shook her head. "Selene wanted Elspeth, and Kyle wanted Lina. I suggested combining them, and it worked out. He's a good sort."

"Seems that way. Why is it they live here instead of on their own, then? You wouldn't be stuck playing nursemaid to the baby."

"All the bloody taxes your lot put up," Katie retorted.

Marcus frowned. "What taxes?"

"Kyle's muggleborn, so he gets to pay exorbitant taxes every month for the privilege of living and working here as he's been doing." Her voice was twisted with anger, and she couldn't meet his eyes. Marcus hadn't known about Kyle, hadn't gone looking. He hadn't cared about anyone other than Katie Bell. "So they gave up the flat they had and moved back here. And just as well, now. After Dad was killed, Mum wouldn't have wanted them to live anywhere else."

"So the baby's not really Pure," Marcus murmured. When the war was over and blood purity would be one of the true markers of status, that little baby would have less reason to laugh.

"Pure enough to be on the Register," Katie retorted. "There's more to someone's worth than someone's blood status."

"That's enough to get someone looked after in this kind of climate," Marcus commented, looking up from his raking.

"As I've already got someone looking after me, I suppose I don't care."

"Yard work's gotten you brave enough."

"More like angry enough." Katie looked up at him, eyes sparking.

"You think you're above this kind of inspection, do you?" he asked mildly.

"You're not any better than any of us, for all that money you have or that mark on your arm. You're not any different, and you can't tell me otherwise."

"So why listen to what I say?" he asked lazily.

"It's a threat, not a suggestion," Katie told him flatly.

"If it was a suggestion?" he asked.

"I'd tell you to stuff it."

"Then it's a good thing I have leverage."

They cleared the rest of the side yard in silence, and Marcus was thankful that Katie wasn't daft enough to lift the enormous piles of leaves by hand into the disposal bags. She picked up her rake and headed toward the backyard. Marcus jogged after her and caught her arm. "Listen, I have a better idea to spend the day."

"The yard won't clear itself," Katie retorted, sure she knew what he had in mind.

"I brought over one of the Flint house elves," Marcus told her. "I'll just tell Blink to clear it out, and it'll get done."

Katie gaped at him. "Then why spend the morning raking up leaves in the yard?"

He shrugged. It probably wasn't very menacing to say he had actually enjoyed spending the time with her. "Information gathering?" he offered instead.

Katie rolled her eyes at him and handed him the rake. "Get your house elf. I'm going to take another soak in the bath. _Alone,"_ she added for good measure.

Marcus merely smirked at her. "Afraid to be alone with me, Katie?" he asked, voice low. It wasn't quite menacing, but Katie shivered at the sound of it. It took her a moment to figure out why; it was the same tone he used at night when they were in bed together. She was already associating it with the feel of his hands on her or his lips over hers.

"I'm not afraid of you," she lied, feeling the flush rise along her cheeks. She hoped he would think it was due to exertion.

"Liar," he replied, lips curling into an amused smile. Marcus grasped her hand and pulled her closer. She came forward easily enough resting right up against him. He traced the curve of her cheekbone and nearly laughed at the way her breath seemed to stop. "And to think I thought that Gryffindors couldn't lie."

"Everyone lies," Katie replied, pushing herself back slightly. She wasn't a silly fourth year about to be kissed. She was being taunted by a Death Eater trying to figure out if she should be killed or not. She kept forgetting that point.

"So what do you lie about, Katie?" he asked, his voice playful. There was an edge to it, however, and it made Katie want to shiver and look away from his intense gaze.

"That I'm happy," she answered after a moment. "I tell my mother I'm fine and I'm happy."

His touch on her shoulder almost burned. "And why do you lie to her? Isn't it an awful thing to lie to your Mum?"

"More awful for her to know how miserable I am at my dead end job," Katie retorted. "She knows I hate it, but I have to go."

"Why stick with it, then?"

"I lost most of last year, Flint," Katie reminded him, lip curling in disgust. "They let me on the House Quiddtich team, but I wasn't in any shape for recruiters to look at. So here I am, nowhere else to be but at some dead end job because we need the money."

And then the Saturday afternoon practice sessions made sense. "You're going to try for the spring open tryouts, then."

"Not at this rate," Katie snapped, face shuttering with frustration. She pulled away from him and stalked back into the house through the back door into the kitchen.

Marcus looked over the front lawn and the side lawn leading up to the back gate and the door into the kitchen. If not for his help, it would have taken Katie all day to do just that much, and there was the entire backyard to take care of as well.

The Manor could function with one less house elf, he decided as he went inside the Bell house. And considering he was the only Flint left, he could order them about wherever he pleased.

If only people were so compliant.

***  
***


	4. Shifting The Puzzle Pieces

Katie had always believed Mondays were evil, and this particular Monday was no exception. News traveled quickly, and within an hour there was a wide circle of people staying away from her yet ogling her as she worked. Having a tall, glowering tower of muscle dressed in black and observing every motion was unnerving. Knowing that said tower of muscle was quite possibly thinking very naughty thoughts of her throughout the entire day was even more so.

She managed to palm the small piece of charmed parchment and its attached quill and tuck it into her shoe when she dropped the quill she was using to fill out the requisition forms on her desk. While she normally hated the business attire she had to wear, now she was thankful for the pumps. There was a little space between the side of the shoe and the arch of her foot, and the shrunken piece of parchment fit perfectly in that space.

As much as he would have liked to disagree, Marcus couldn't follow her everywhere. Katie ducked into the loo, her wand tucked into her sleeve. Knowing Marcus was a suspicious bastard and looking for anything, Katie didn't intend to use it. She had gotten good enough at wandless enlargement and shrinking charms. She simply didn't want Marcus having access to her wand to put tracking charms on it.

Katie quickly began to scribble on the parchment. _Hiding in the loo now, probably don't have a lot of time. There's a DE following me at all times everywhere I go. I don't know if I'll be able to forward along information, or if I'll even have access to anything useful anymore. If you haven't moved yet, MOVE NOW. Change frequencies, something. If this isn't a safe way to send information in the future, I'll underline my name however many times there are DE's there watching me. KEEP FIGHTING._

She watched as the ink seemed to disappear into the parchment. It would appear on its twin, wherever the Potterwatch crew was hiding at the moment.

She signed her name in her usual hasty scrawl just before a reply message appeared for her.

_Stay safe. Better you're alive and can fight later than to go down over a false rumour._

Katie smiled at the sight of the sloppy handwriting in front of her. It didn't matter which twin wrote it, as their handwriting was identical as well. She shrunk the parchment and stuck it back into her shoe then exited the loo.

Marcus was standing next to the door and extended his hand to her. She frowned at him, not understanding. After a moment, she put her hand in his. He smirked at her. "Did you think I would kiss it?"

"Well, what do you want, then?"

"Your wand."

Katie blinked even as she did so. "I was just in the loo."

Thankfully, no one else was coming down the hallway. Katie would have been mortified, and no doubt would be later if she thought about it.

Marcus called up the last spells she had cast with her wand. He went back twenty spells. He recognized the transfiguration spell that had created a second rake for him and the levitation spells that had lifted Ellina's toys. The other seventeen were all personal cleansing spells. He looked up at her, at the red stain rising along her cheeks. "What's this?"

"Just what it looks like," Katie replied, not meeting his eyes. The last thing she wanted was to look weak or foolish, and this was making her feel just that.

"You needed to do it that often?" he asked, crowding into her personal space. His voice was low, almost like that seductive tone. Katie blinked and looked past his ear, not answering. She wasn't sure her voice would remain still. Marcus touched her chin with his finger and turned her face so that she met his gaze. "Why?"

"You make me feel like a whore," Katie whispered, blurting out the answer before she could stop herself. She looked mortified once she realized what she said, but couldn't take the words back.

"Why?" he asked, voice quiet and almost pained.

"You get me and my family's safe," Katie replied, feeling her heart hammer in her chest. Neither moved, both searching the other's expression. "Can I go now? I have work to do and I can't afford to be sacked."

Marcus let her go and watched her scurry back to her desk. There was a faint sensation deep in his gut, something like remorse and regret.

He squelched it and stalked back to the work area to glower at Katie.

***

Marcus didn't raise any eyebrows when Katie didn't go straight home after work. He had been a little more circumspect in the afternoon, though he could tell everyone still felt his presence there. He tried to occupy himself, but was bored out of his mind. By the time Katie had gotten her belongings together to go home, he almost wished he was on a raid. Katie left the Prophet offices and headed for the retail shops, which tended to close at 7, leaving two hours to get home before curfew. She entered an apothecary's shop, still not looking at him. Katie quietly ordered a birth control potion, and had to go through personal questions before the potions master behind the counter could select the correct one she needed.

"So does this mean you feel less like a whore or more?" he asked her once she left the shop. Katie had her stoic face on, the determined one he remembered from the pitch. Marcus stopped her before they reached the designated apparition point. "Well?"

"It means I'm being practical," Katie replied, voice shaking slightly. She didn't meet his eyes. "It means we can't afford for me to be out of work, or having a baby to take care of when you decide that you're done with me."

Marcus stepped into her line of vision, face set into a mask. "You think so little of me, then? That I'd leave my child behind?"

Katie nearly shivered under his gaze. "I don't know you at all, Flint. You once played Quidditch at school. You're a Death Eater now. You follow me everywhere I go. That's all I know."

"Ask me something, then," he told her. "Find out."

"Why?" Katie asked, voice hopeless. "Why bother? Either you decide I'm to die or you decide I'm to live."

He didn't have a good answer for her. "I'm just the messenger, Katie. I didn't decide this."

"You volunteered," Katie countered.

"Did I hurt you?" Marcus asked, gaze intent. "Did I torture you or your family? That's what would've happened if I didn't. Higgs really wanted to, and the others wouldn't have cared."

"So why do you care?" Katie asked, eyes searching his face.

"I'm not the soulless killer you think I am," he told her.

Katie had the distinct impression her words wounded him somehow. She couldn't figure out why it pained her to know she could. "I need to go home," she murmured. "They'll worry if I'm not back in time for dinner."

"I'll do it," he said, winding an arm around her waist.

It was easier not to argue. Wasn't that how this all started? Easier not to argue, not to question. If she rocked the boat too hard, she had too much to lose.

Dinner was simple, and too quiet at first. Like the night before, everyone seemed to glance at Marcus, wary of his presence. That night, Ellina had refused to go to sleep on time, and kept wailing as soon as she was put down. Selene and Kyle seemed particularly agitated while looking at Marcus' placid expression. He was aware they were afraid of his temper, of what he might do just because of the mark on his arm. If this had been any other circumstance, if he had simply met Katie at work or at school, neither would be so afraid of him.

The knowledge burned him for some reason.

"Just rock her to sleep or something," he told Kyle on his turn to walk through the living room with Ellina. "She's teething something awful."

Kyle merely goggled at him. "How do you know that?"

"She was chewing on my hands all afternoon yesterday. Kind of hard to miss," Marcus said with a careless shrug.

That seemed to make a difference, as the two young parents relaxed and talked to Ellina as they paced. Evelyn even offered seconds, and Katie stopped holding her fork in a white knuckled grip as she avoided his gaze.

This was the future if the Death Eaters won, he was aware. Any spark of life unapproved by the Dark Lord would be squelched by fear. Marcus had spent time looking at the Bell family photos on the wall, and saw Katie grinning and mugging for the camera. She hadn't done it while he was with her, and he wanted her to.

Even though she started taking the potion that night, pointedly taking it in front of him, he merely held her.

He noticed little things after that. When upset, Katie tended to turn the wireless on loud in her room and read mysteries or suspense novels. She had a lot of them crammed into her tiny bookcase. She arranged things at home that her mother forgot to do or Selene was too tired to do. Even with a house elf, Katie still went to check that everything was done the way they were used to as her family hid from Marcus.

And while it was obvious the Bells and Stillwaters had plans for hols, they were too scared to discuss it in front of him.

Katie felt almost comfortable with him crowding her tiny room, as impossible as that seemed at first. It didn't feel strange to crawl into bed and lie against him, one of her books in hand to distract herself from remembering the vicious rumors about her circulating at work. He held her, reading over her shoulder, stroking her hair or arm. She felt almost lulled by the lack of viciousness, even if she knew he was capable of that.

One evening, just over a week later, Katie even felt bold enough to slide her hand along the inside of his leg. Marcus smirked at her, but remained silent. He didn't force the issue, and Katie felt absurdly grateful for that. She felt dirty enough as it was, liking the feel of him when he touched her, looking forward to his kiss at night.

She carefully put her book down on the nightstand. Eyes locked to his, she leaned forward and kissed him on the lips, gentle and hesitant. He had a hand along her arm but kept rubbing it gently, a soothing motion. Katie drew her fingers up to the juncture of his thighs, tracing the shape of his sex. She would have missed the slight hitch in his breathing if she hadn't been looking for it; he was able to keep himself so still and controlled that he was impossible to read most of the time. She knelt over him, stroking his cock as he had started to show her before, still kissing him. When Katie broke the kiss to look at him, he merely returned her gaze. She couldn't tell what he was thinking, could never tell. He didn't seem amused or triumphant, but just looked at her so intently she felt like blushing as if he had said something lewd.

Katie leaned forward and kissed Marcus' jaw, moving to drop fluttering kisses along his neck and chest even as she continued to move her hand along his cock. His hand on her arm trailed down her body and moved between her spread legs. He traced her folds gently, then came up to stroke her clit. Her breath caught and her hand tightened fractionally over him. He made a soft sound deep in his throat as her hand moved over him, and it emboldened her. Katie moved her hand along his length and kissed him full on the mouth. She touched her tongue to his lips, and he opened them. She slid her tongue into his mouth and touched his. Marcus slid his tongue along hers, then a finger inside of her as his thumb worked her clit.

Katie broke the kiss and buried her face in the crook of his neck when she came. Marcus had one hand between her legs, the other at her back to help her keep her balance. Katie gasped for breath, not sure she could get it back. He hadn't stopped his strokes against her clit, and turned his head to kiss her shoulder. When she pulled back slightly, he leaned forward and took a breast into his mouth to suckle.

She came again with a strangled groan, her strokes along his cock erratic. Marcus positioned her over him, his cock just gracing her entrance. He looked up at her, not quite questioning her. He wasn't insistent, but waited patiently for her to make a decision.

Marcus let out a sigh of pleasure as Katie sank down along his length. Hands along her hips, he guided her as she rocked against him, as her eyes fell closed with the feel of him inside of her. She gasped, mouth open as she struggled to breathe. He felt so good inside of her, more so this way, and she couldn't even think of how she could tell him that. Katie's eyes flew open at the feel of his hand moving between their bodies to touch her clit again, and she gasped. Marcus moved his other hand to cup a breast, fingers pulling at her nipple. She leaned forward, her hands on his shoulders, eyes locked to his. Neither said a word as she came again, tight around his length. He moved his hands to her hips, pulling and pushing her against him until he came inside her wet heat with a groan.

He cradled her against him as she slid bonelessly down over him. He tangled a hand in her long, dark hair, and let his eyes fall shut for a moment.

"So what does this mean?" Katie asked, his heartbeat slowing beneath her ear. She was almost afraid of the answer.

"I don't know," Marcus told her honestly.

There wasn't any kind of manual for this kind of situation. As far as he knew, others merely tortured their victims rather than try to get to know them. He didn't know how long Nott would let him stay, of if the old man even remembered him. Theo Nott had often called his father a prejudiced old fool, but Nott Senior had seemed sharp as a tack to Marcus. Marcus knew better than to cross Nott or anyone else of high enough rank.

"What do you know?" she asked quietly, raising her head to look at him. She couldn't read his expression, and his arm on her back didn't tighten or move.

"That you're safe with me," he replied gently. He was almost surprised by his answer, by the possessive streak he was feeling toward her. It seemed to calm her. She laid back down, resting her head on his chest.

"I suppose I am," she murmured.

Neither knew what that meant, but it didn't really matter.

***

"I just won't go," Katie told her mother as she set the table. Though Blink was scandalized, Evelyn refused to let the house elf set the table for dinner. She preferred to keep that as part of the usual evening bonding. Marcus had been sitting in the living room, watching Kyle and Ellina play together. Selene was making a fire call next door, and Marcus had only made a cursory cross examination of her. Apparently the only other employee at the shop had been ill, and she wanted to be sure the girl got home all right. Marcus perked his ears up at Katie's words.

"But it's Christmas, Katie. You already spend far too much time alone with him."

Marcus glanced up, but Kyle didn't appear to be paying attention to the kitchen conversation. Over the two and a half weeks he had spent in the muggleborn's company, the man hadn't seemed to be any of the horrible stereotypes purported in Death Eater ranks. He almost respected the man's quiet determination to live the life he had chosen with the family he created.

"It might be safer for them," Katie said, voice surprisingly even. She never volunteered what they did in all that time alone together, and her family never asked.

"We'll explain," Evelyn began. Marcus could see Katie glare at Evelyn out of the corner of his eye. "Well, we have to say something, or else they'll think he's some kind of permanent fixture."

Katie looked down at the table, a nervous flutter in her belly at the thought. She couldn't tell if it was fear or anticipation. "I know, Mum."

"They'd miss you terribly if you stayed behind."

"There's crackdown on leaving for muggle territories," Katie murmured. Now Marcus really perked up to listen. "Even if we've reason to be there, it might cause too much trouble for me to be there," she added. She sounded so sad that Marcus' fist tightened around the armrest.

"There might still be, because of Kyle," Evelyn reasoned. "This might be his last chance to see them, and their last chance to see Ellina, the way things are going."

They were going to Kyle's parents for Christmas, Marcus realized. It was just over a week away, and Katie was going to stay behind for fear of their safety. Marcus couldn't tell if it was due to fear of him personally, the Death Eaters she imagined he'd call or something else. Marcus didn't go around threatening Kyle or cursing Selene as a blood traitor, both of which would have happened if anyone else had been living with them.

Marcus didn't even want to question why he wasn't doing so.

Selene walked into the house, her step a lot lighter than she had left it. "Flora's fine. Her mum gave her a lot of Pepper Up Potion after she got back from the shop, so she should be able to stock the shelves and work the register tomorrow," she told her husband. She hung up her coat and sat down beside Ellina and Kyle, a soft smile on her face. Marcus almost wished that expression could have been on Katie's face when she looked at him. "So how's little Lina? Did she miss her Mummy?"

Ellina gurgled as Kyle handed her over to Selene. "She's been trying to stand up after crawling, you know. Hanging onto the couch and tables. I think she'll take steps soon enough."

"Well, your Mum did say you were an early walker," Selene said with a laugh. She leaned over and gave him a kiss. "We'll make sure she has a lot of pictures at hols."

Neither mentioned the possibility it could be the last visit, though Marcus understood the meaning to be there between their words. He couldn't help but feel somewhat responsible for it, even if he knew that Kyle had already chosen which world he wanted to live in.

He got up abruptly and went to the kitchen. Katie and her mother had finished setting the table, ignoring Blink hitting himself on the head in the corner. "You should go to their home for hols," he told her tightly, his face drawn into a mask. "Go while you still can."

Her face was open and painful to look at. There was surprise and fear and gratitude, all mixed together. Katie smiled at him, almost tentatively, and there was some color rising to her cheeks. "Thank you, Flint," she murmured.

Marcus opened his mouth to chastise her for using his last name after almost three weeks together but snapped it shut with a grimace. His Dark Mark was being activated, and it burned all the way down to his bones. He clutched it, fingernails digging through his shirtsleeve as he struggled to keep himself from crying out and frightening them all.

Katie rushed forward, concern etched on her face. "Are you all right?"

He watched as she pulled the shirtsleeve back and exposed the mark. It pulsed and had an angry look to it, the pale flesh around it growing red and irritated by the writhing mark. Marcus pulled his wand out of his other shirtsleeve and roughly pushed her from him. "Don't you leave this house," he all but snarled at her. "Don't any of you leave this house tonight, do you understand?" he hissed.

Katie rushed forward. "But what does that mean...?"

"Just do as I say!" he hissed. It had the same effect as if he had shouted at her, and Katie stopped abruptly. "Stay in this house. It's protected. No one else will get in as long as you keep the doors shut and locked. Do you understand me?"

Evelyn was nodding even as Katie's eyes widened in fear. "But..."

_"Do you understand?"_ Marcus repeated, insistent. It was Nott Senior calling for him, almost impatient and angry. He would have to report something, most likely, and he had seen nothing to implicate Katie at all.

"I understand," Katie whispered, looking at him with a fearful expression.

It was only after he apparated away that he realized she was concerned for his safety.

***  
***


	5. Shifting Alliances

Marcus apparated directly into the drawing room at Nott Manor. Nott Senior was old fashioned, and preferred to have meetings in his formal drawing room or parlor. He commanded a small squad of Death Eaters, and he tended to rule them with spare efficiency. There was no room to countermand his orders, and he even grew testy if those orders were to be clarified. Nott Senior felt blood purity was the foremost treasure to be protected in the Wizarding World. While he didn't condone the actions of blood traitors, he was loath to let bloodlines die out unnecessarily. He would rather hang onto the traitors in close conditions to see if they were salvageable before summarily killing them.

Marcus supposed it was a small mercy. Nott Senior had a very exacting definition of salvageable for blood traitors, and none had been "salvaged" so far.

Marcus nodded at the others, who had already arrived. Higgs, Nott Junior, Pucey, Warrington and Montague he had known from school. Harris and Gracehawk he had met through Nott Senior. Those two men were nearly ten years his senior, both vicious in their own way. They deferred to Nott Senior because they had to, but chafed when he pulled the reins in too tight around them. Marcus supposed it was really only a matter of time before they did something to advance themselves in the ranks at Nott Senior's expense.

"It's been too long since we've all met," Nott Senior began, voice rough with age and his very visible exasperation. "There have been no reports of progress, no statements to justify your absence. Well?" he said, jaw said as he looked to each man present. "No actions to glorify the name of our lord and master?"

Higgs came forward first, as he usually did in meetings like this. He was eager for praise and recognition within the ranks, wanting to lead his own squadron. He had enjoyed talking to the younger squads of potential recruits, the ones that ultimately were sent back to Hogwarts to finish their schooling under Severus Snape's regime. He had asked to join Nott Senior's group, as Nott Senior was respected by the longtime Death Eaters. Nott Senior had discipline, time, spell knowledge and connections on his side. Higgs wanted power, and he was willing to do just about anything to get it.

Higgs told of the random muggles he had tortured when he visited the countryside, leaving the Morsmordre in the air and tangled bodies for the Order of the Phoenix to find. He was pleased with himself, even though Nott Senior scowled at him.

Pucey and Nott Junior worked at the Ministry, and had meticulously paid attention to the gossip in the cafeteria or rec rooms. They had compiled lists of probable Death Eater supporters as well as probable blood traitors. Nott Senior approved of their efforts, which had Higgs scowling at them. Warrington had to care for his ailing mother, and Montague had lost track of the blood traitors he had been following in the countryside. Marcus had no news to report at all. These pieces of news were met with impassive expressions, which usually didn't bode well. Gracehawk owned a private company, and had fired any employee that wasn't Pure. Harris had found an Auror interfering with Death Eater business and killed her for the impudence. Those bits of news met with obvious approval as well.

"Warrington, I know your mother," Nott Senior said, voice heavy with regret. "She is a fine, upstanding woman and a credit to our people. I'm sure she would understand that you have a higher purpose right now."

Warrington bowed his head slightly. "Yes, sir. I'll tell her—"

_"Crucio,"_ Nott Senior interrupted, sending the spell at Warrington with a lazy flick of his wand. He lifted it after five seconds, his expression bland. Warrington had managed to be silent for the first three seconds of the curse, and silently pushed himself back to a standing position from where he had writhed on the floor. "Ours is not the easy path, Warrington. There are no short cuts, no excuses. This is the lesson to learn."

"Thank you, sir," Warrington bit out, body still trembling from the effects of the curse. There was no mercy to be had from the other men in Nott Senior's circle. Friendships were cast aside in order to survive unscathed.

Montague faced Nott Senior next. "I have no excuse for my failure," he said in reply to the older man's pointed stare. "I couldn't track them well enough and couldn't identify who I might've been following." He bowed his head slightly. "I was alone, and it was late at night. I couldn't see who I was following."

_"Crucio,"_ Nott Senior said, voice quiet. It was hard to tell if he was angry or disappointed with Montague. The man never complained about the blurred vision or terrible headaches he still suffered after being caught in the Vanishing Cabinet by the Weasley twins. He never once used it as an excuse, even though everyone knew about his impairments.

Montague couldn't pull himself together once his five seconds were done. Nott Senior frowned as he struggled, as Gracehawk had to summarily pull him to his feet.

Nott Senior turned his eyes to Marcus. "You volunteered for your mission."

"Yes, sir. I am observing Katie Bell's every movement for possible traitorous activities. I haven't found any proof she might be part of the Resistance."

"Yet you tell me you have nothing to report," Nott told him sharply.

"Higgs has a good eye for people with secrets," Marcus told him. "He says there's something there, but I can't find anything. So I have nothing to report."

"Do you think he was mistaken?" Nott Senior asked lazily. "Is she hiding nothing?"

"If she is, she's a better liar than I've ever seen before. Or I'm not clever enough to catch her helping them," Marcus said, even as he thought of Kyle. As much as the man was paying the exorbitant taxes to remain in the wizarding world, it was also understood that actively helping one stay was frowned upon. And the family was planning to visit his parents for hols, intent on making the most of the time they had. Any stickler Death Eater would offer that up as proof of lying, as a secret that Katie Bell was keeping. If she had one secret like this, she had to have more. She had to be brought in for further questioning.

But he remained silent, even though he knew what his punishment would be.

Nott Senior regarded him dispassionately. "No, you're not terribly clever, are you, Flint?" he asked, voice still in that even tone. "Enthusiastic for our cause, a true believer, a Pureblood worthy of the name. But clever you are not." Everyone knew he hadn't even shown up for his NEWTS and had to repeat seventh year. Everyone knew his reputation at school had been for brawn, not brains.

There had been reasons why, but they were his own and no one else's.

Marcus knew the Cruciatus curse was coming and did nothing to stop it. He grit his teeth to keep from screaming, feeling his knees hit the floor amidst the fire racing through his nervous system. He couldn't feel the pain of his face smashing into the floor, breaking the parquet flooring with the impact. He couldn't feel the scrapes from the broken piece of parquet floor, couldn't feel the hoarse screaming when he couldn't control himself any longer.

When the curse lifted, Marcus couldn't even breathe. He struggled to push himself up to his knees, and looked up at Nott Senior. He swallowed the blood in his mouth and eventually pulled himself up to his feet.

"You do try," Nott Senior said, eyes sharp as he contemplated Marcus. "But since the task is too much for you, I will help you."

Marcus managed to squelch the feeling of alarm running through him. "Sir?"

"You will feed her information. Then we'll see what she does with it." Nott Senior turned his eyes to Higgs. "You said she was an informant, if I recall."

"She's helping the Resistance," Higgs replied evenly. "I'm certain."

It wasn't quite answering the question, but Nott let it slide for now. Marcus knew Higgs would get a reprimand for it in a moment.

"Flint, you will tell that girl you're supervising that there is a planned attack in the town of Hereford on Christmas Eve. We'll see if Order members show up or not."

Marcus nodded, swallowing back the blood and bile that threatened to rise in his throat. Katie was helping somehow, he knew it. Maybe he hadn't caught her because she was curtailing her activities while he was around. Maybe there hadn't been anything worth risking his attention for. But this would definitely be worth it, and she would risk her damn fool neck and the lives of her family to warn the Order and save the lives of a village that would never really be in danger in the first place.

He could always remain silent, could always keep this meeting a secret from Katie. She wasn't supposed to know meeting contents anyway. He could save her from herself, keep her from making a disastrous mistake.

Nott turned to Higgs, dismissing Marcus from his attention. "You show a disturbing tendency to think yourself above your superiors," he said, voice cold and harsh. "As well as a tendency to think that bloody displays of violence are all I require of you."

"I am striking fear into the enemy," Higgs protested.

"I was not finished," Nott Senior snarled. Higgs' mouth clamped shut, though the muscle in his cheek jumped. "While I don't necessarily expect the young men in my charge to be mindless idiots, I do expect there to be effort involved. I expect you to challenge yourselves to transcend your petty selves and do good for your kind. I expect you to become a model that others should wish to live up to." Nott Senior pointed at Higgs, mouth twisted in distaste. "Garish bloody displays do not further your image as a role model."

"There is time for that sort of thing," Higgs returned.

"Really, sir," Harris interjected smoothly. "Our enemies should be flushed out and destroyed, shouldn't they? We can't let them oppose the natural way of life for much longer, can we?"

"This is a war that will be won on strategy," Nott Senior warned. "It will not be strength in numbers or faith in ideology that will end this war. It will be that one side missed something important, and at this rate, _you_ will do something."

"But sir, I—" Higgs began..

_"Crucio,"_ Nott Senior said, lashing out at Higgs and then at Harris. Because of the delay to curse Harris, Higgs was under the curse for nearly eight full seconds whereas Harris only had four. Higgs glared at both Nott Senior and Harris as he struggled to get to his feet, though his knees kept buckling beneath him.

Nott Senior had said in the beginning he was a harsh taskmaster, and that he could wield torture spells as easy as dressing charms. He had said he would make them stronger men by sheer force of will if he had to, and that his methods were too tough for women to ever endure as his protégé. He admitted to driving lesser minds insane. This was probably how.

Marcus ached where he stood, and watched Higgs stumble dispassionately. There was no point in helping the man out now, not when Nott Senior was so obviously displeased with him. Even if he felt charitable toward the surly bastard, Higgs would never appreciate compassion. He would read it as pity and abhorred any sign of that.

Once the meeting was over, he wearily dealt with the others. He liked most of them well enough, but he was too drained to really offer more than insipid pleasantries. He gripped his wand and shut his eyes as he apparated "home."

It wasn't until he opened his eyes that he realized he saw the Bell household and not Flint Manor as his home.

Marcus didn't even question it as he stumbled forward and crashed face first into the couch. It was late and dark in the house. Everyone else was likely sleeping. No one would wait up for him, since he was just the brooding interloper they were afraid of anyway.

Only, he belatedly realized that Katie had obviously fallen asleep in the armchair beside the couch. His collapse woke her.

"Marcus?" she mumbled, half asleep. "That you?"

He tried not to feel too much pleasure in hearing her call him by his first name. He rolled to his side heavily and let his eyes fall shut. Everything was sore and painful, but it was nothing a good night's rest wouldn't cure. He'd been through it a few times before and had no doubt that he would go through it again. Nott Senior believed in strict discipline, and any length of time under Cruciatus up to five seconds was a standard punishment.

Katie's hands were cool against his face. "What did they do to you?"

"Nothing terrible," Marcus mumbled. "Happened before. I'm all right."

He could almost feel her heart stop in her chest. Katie made a soft choking sound. "No, it's not all right. Marcus, you're _bleeding."_

"Not heavily," he replied with a shrug. "I'll be fine in the morning."

Katie hadn't known what to expect with Marcus' abrupt departure. Dinner had been tense with fear, but nothing had happened. There had been no noise on the street, no indication that it was anything different from any other night of the week. Selene and Kyle went to bed early as they usually did, as they had to be up early.

Evelyn had looked at Katie with a sad expression when she saw her youngest daughter settling in to read a novel in the living room rather than her own room. Evelyn sat down on the couch across from Katie. "You're worried for him, aren't you?"

Katie looked up from her book with a troubled expression. "Well, it could go badly for us. They might decide I'm expendable after all."

"But you're worried about him personally, aren't you?"

There was no judgment or recrimination in her mother's words, but Katie still felt like a chastised child. "He hasn't hurt me, Mum. He hasn't done anything like that."

Evelyn reached out and took Katie's hand in hers. "I'd've tried to do something to him in his sleep if he ever tried something like that," Evelyn murmured. "It's not something I would do proudly, but you're still my baby girl, no matter how grown up you are."

"He's not... evil," Katie decided finally. "Not good, but not evil either."

"People rarely are. Bad things happen not because someone is inherently evil. They just happen," Evelyn murmured. "Like your father, stumbling onto something he shouldn't have. Sometimes horrible things happen to good people."

"I don't know what he is."

"If you go to see Kyle's parents, you know they'll think he's a boyfriend."

"I know," Katie had replied quietly.

"Is that what you want?"

"I don't know what I want," Katie murmured truthfully. "I really don't."

And hours later, sitting in the near dark and falling asleep with her worry, Katie still didn't know what she wanted. She didn't know what she felt for him, what she _wanted_ to feel for him. They were likely two separate things, she knew, and she couldn't very well tell him what she felt if she didn't understand it herself. Though, even if she did know, she wouldn't tell him.

Katie brought Marcus an ice pack from the kitchen as well as moist towels to wipe away the blood. She knew a few minor healing charms, but that was about it. She wasn't a healer, wasn't anyone talented or important. The only thing she had ever been talented at in school was flying and Quidditch, and she had lost so much time with that.

"What happened?" she asked him, voice soft. She was almost afraid to know.

"They weren't happy with the lack of progress," Marcus told her with a shrug. "Don't worry about it. You get a break from me tonight."

She didn't want him to laugh at her, but she actually felt strange alone in her bed. She had grown used to having him there, to having his heartbeat under her ear to lull her to sleep. She liked having his arms around her, having his warmth beside her as she slept.

Katie merely checked on his wounds. "They're all scrapes," she said after a moment. "What happened? How'd you get them?"

"Accident," Marcus told her, not sure if any story he told would sound plausible at this point. He might as well go with the truth. "It's not part of the curses he uses. Just go to sleep, Katie. I'll be here for a while yet."

"What? Wait, they _curse_ you?!"

Marcus pushed himself up to a sitting position with a groan. "Katie. Stuff those horrid Gryffindor tendencies for one damned night and go to bed."

She dabbed at the scrapes he exposed when he sat up. Marcus caught her wrist and looked her over as she knelt beside him. "You're bleeding," Katie murmured, not sure why she had a tight feeling in her chest. "I should clean it up before it gets all over the sofa."

"A good scouring charm can take most of it out. And there is a house elf to do it now," he reminded her. "Why are you really here?" he asked, voice gentle.

"You're hurt," Katie said, her voice barely above a whisper.

He stroked the inside of her wrist with his thumb and watched her shiver at the contact. He liked her touch entirely too much, wanted her more than he should. She should have been nothing to him. She should have been someone he could have shagged the once and let go. He should have been able to tell Nott Senior about her brother-in-law, about the holiday plans to visit muggle areas. They'd likely get around curfew and whatever checkpoints were in place. It could have been worth something, could have been enough to get him out of punishment and being seen yet again like a failure.

But he had kept the secret, kept silent and protected her family. He still didn't understand it.

"I would have thought you'd like to be rid of me," Marcus murmured, watching her lips part slightly. "Or do you want me with you after all?"

Katie thought perhaps she should deny it. She didn't know why she was there, why it hurt her to see him bruised and bloodied. "It's the right thing to do, is all," she said, hoping she sounded more nonchalant than she felt. "It's something a decent human being would do."

Marcus wanted to have her admit it, whatever _it_ was. There was something between them, something that was more than he expected it to be. "Are you saying I'm not a decent human being? I'm not someone worth it?"

She flushed. "I didn't mean that."

Marcus was still stroking the inside of her wrist. She was still kneeling beside him, still entirely too close for her own safety. He leaned forward, lips mere inches from hers. "Then what did you mean? Sorry I didn't get finished off? Did you want to do it yourself?"

Blanching, Katie pulled away from him. "I'm no killer!"

No, she wasn't. But she was an informant, and Marcus suddenly wanted to shake her hard enough to rattle her teeth. She was playing a dangerous game, one that would get her killed, and he couldn't bear the thought of finding her dead in an alley.

"But I am," he told her, voice tight. "That's who I am, that's what I do. That's what's going to happen on Christmas Eve in Heresford," he lied, taking in her pale face. "I refused, I've already got a job to do. It's never wise to refuse anything, you know that." Marcus gave her a grim smile, remembering the pain of the Cruciatus Curse. "There's no hero in this story, Katie. No one will come save you."

"I can save myself," she countered.

All that stupid bravery was going to get her killed, and Marcus would be left with nothing.

"Go to bed," he all but snarled at her. "Go while you still can."

Katie rose uncertainly. She looked at his face, at the withering anger he was shooting her. She was out of her element, and he had let something slip that she should pass along. She could use the galleon in her jewelry box, just in case she wouldn't be able to slip her charmed parchment past him in the morning. But she turned back at the entrance to the hallway by the stairs, and saw his shoulders slumped forward, his head in his hands. That didn't look like the way a hardened killer would look. It looked like conflict and desperation, and her heart twisted inside of her chest. Her feelings were tangled and confused where he was concerned, but this was clear enough to her. Something had happened at that meeting, and it was something he was willing to lie to her about.

There were too many secrets between them, too many lies and deceitful turns of phrase.

She climbed the stairs to her room and changed into a long flannel nightgown she rarely wore. The galleon was safe in her jewelry box, and she left it there. She would need more space to explain her misgivings. The Order would have to decide what to do.

Katie knelt beside Marcus and slid an arm around him as she pressed her face against his shoulder. "Why are you here, Katie?" he asked, voice raw.

"I don't know," she answered honestly. She didn't, really. She was angry with him for the situation her family was caught in, but it wasn't his fault. Not on a personal level, anyway. She hadn't been fair earlier; she knew a bit more about him than she had said. It was nothing about his past and everything to do with how he behaved in the present. He was a bundle of secrets and contradictions, and she couldn't simply let him go.

Marcus turned to her, lips hovering near her forehead. "You should hate me."

"Yeah, I should," Katie murmured, hands clenching into fists on his shirt. She couldn't say if she did or not, as she couldn't even name it.

"Do you?" he asked, his voice like sandpaper. He was very still, arms at his sides and not touching her. He was afraid of her answer, afraid to hope for anything other than enmity. He didn't even know why he would want it.

"No. I don't know." Katie looked up at him, eyes wide and luminous in the dark. "What about you? What do you feel?"

"Why are you asking?" he returned, shifting in her grasp. He could easily push her back, or drag her down onto the couch or tilt her to the floor. He could be rough, take what he wanted and leave her broken and bruised on the floor. Except that he couldn't, really. He didn't want her to suffer, didn't want to see her upset.

"What is this, then?" Katie whispered, searching his face. "Why are we doing this?"

Marcus caved and cradled her face with one hand. He could slap her, punch her, choke her, push her around... He was capable of such things. He had done them before, had beaten his fair share of people that probably didn't deserve it. Yet he was incapable of doing so with Katie. He ran his thumb along the edge of her mouth, watching as she leaned into his touch.

"I suppose I don't know, either," he said finally.

"Come to bed," Katie murmured. "I can't sleep alone anymore."

Marcus couldn't even smirk or make a smart remark. He let her lead him upstairs and tuck him into her bed. He held her close when she crawled on top of him, tucking herself tightly against his form. "You shouldn't care about me," he told her as she drifted off to sleep.

"Too late," she mumbled, not even aware she was responding.

Marcus tangled his hand in her hair. "Too late for both of us, then."

***  
***


	6. Burdens We Bear

Katie pulled her charmed parchment onto her desk and enlarged it. Her shadow wasn't present today, and the novelty of it wore off quickly. The parchment felt vaguely warm; that meant that someone was around to read it. No one paid attention to her as she began to write.

_My shadow let information slip about an attack on Heresford on Christmas Eve,_ she began, strokes even and sure. _But I don't know if he's lying about it to trick me or not. He wasn't behaving normally, and there were curses involved at the meeting he had gone to before he said anything. He also told me I needed to be careful, which is entirely unlike him. You need to pass along both the information and the fact that I'm unsure, guys. This isn't like passing along news copy._

The ink disappeared, and Katie kept it open in front of her. Strange handwriting floated up to be read, and Katie pushed aside the blind panic to read the words.

_I suppose it's a good thing our meeting ran overlong this time, then. Our mutual friends have let me know who you are and where you are. We should meet nearby soon._

Katie bit her lip and thought quickly. _I've brought lunch, but can meet you then. It would look strange if it was after work._

The answer was immediate. _Lunch it is._

The parchment went cold in her hands, and Katie shrunk it down to size. The pit of anxiety in her stomach was back. How did spies and Aurors and Death Eaters live with this? She should ask Angelina at their next dinner together. Angelina had always been more of a hothead on the pitch, but since beginning her training with the Auror program she had become more cool and reserved. She had one more year of training before she became a full Auror, but she already seemed alert enough to be one. Alicia had all but gone into hiding as the Death Eaters became more blatant in their attacks, fearing her muggle Mum would be killed. Leanne was Muggleborn, and simply dropped out of sight without a word. The other witches and wizards Katie had been friends with in her year had also dropped out of sight.

So much for brave Gryffindor tendencies.

Katie took her lunch with her and got ready to leave the office. One of the other clerks, a vicious gossip who had always glared at her, visibly perked up. "You're leaving to meet your Death Eater, then?" she asked.

Katie merely looked at her evenly. She didn't trust the cow one bit, but knew she had to say something reasonable. It would get all over the office by the end of lunch and Marcus might hear something he could use to believe she was the Resistance compatriot she actually was. "My first chance to get out a bit. I'm going to be at the park."

"It's cold out," she whined, wrinkling her nose.

Shrugging, Katie buttoned up the top button of her coat and put the hat her mother had knitted on top of her head. "I'll see you after lunch, then."

Katie had barely left the Prophet office building when a figure detached from the wall and began to walk alongside her. He looked vaguely familiar, so she didn't say anything right away. "Katie Bell, I believe," he began, and the voice seemed familiar as well. "Kingsley Shacklebolt. I was one of the Aurors sent to protect Hogwarts while you were a student. I really believed in the cause, you know."

"Ah," Katie replied noncommittally, her heart pounding in her chest. "But then, there's polyjuice and all kinds of glamour spells that could make you look the part."

He laughed, a deep baritone. "Quick thinking. Our mutual friends said you were clever."

"Still doesn't prove a thing," Katie pointed out.

Shacklebolt eyed her pale face and nodded. "I'll buy lunch for you. I'll prove it then."

"I've a sandwich," Katie said, looking at him out of the corner of his eye. "I don't eat something if I don't know what's in it anymore."

"Fair enough," he replied easily. They went into a café not too far from the park that was still fairly public. He ordered lunch for himself and Katie was obliged to order chips so her presence wouldn't look terribly strange. Shacklebolt pushed over a small golden disc that vaguely resembled the galleons that Hermione had created for the DA. "Our mutual friends mentioned that there were little trinkets that helped them communicate with others. Aurors quickly picked up on the idea. _Our kind_ of aurors, if you understand me. Angie among them."

Katie looked up from the disc. "Okay. I suppose you might be on the up and up."

Shacklebolt smiled at her. "Keep that. It's yours, so you can tell us things right away and don't have to go through the twins all the time." He watched Katie slip the disc into her coat pocket and leaned back in his chair. "It's getting dangerous for them to contact us. We still do, as best as we can, and those discs are now very handy. It's much less noticeable than sending a patronus with news, after all."

"I don't know if what I sent is even accurate."

"It probably isn't," Shacklebolt replied with a smile. Both were quiet when their orders arrived, and Katie took out her own sandwich as Shacklebolt bit into his. "We've probably a dozen different sites named as their Christmas Eve location. We've a lot of informants, and we know that there are tests given out every once in a while."

"So how do you know which is the real thing?"

"It means agents going to each place and letting us know which it is," Shacklebolt replied easily. "We check out every piece of information we receive, anyway. So you don't have to worry about any of us getting harmed or the possibility of your cover being blown. We've been making every effort to keep everyone in the network safe."

Katie blew out a breath she hadn't realized she had been holding. "I'm so glad. I've been worried every day for the past month that maybe we weren't all safe."

"As houses," Shacklebolt assured her. He ate quickly, polishing off the rest of his sandwich. "You just stay safe. We're all doing our part so our famous friend can do his."

She smiled at him. "So he's still out there, is he?"

"Despite all reports to the contrary," he replied with a grin. Katie reached for her wallet to pay for her chips, but Shacklebolt waved her off. "I'm buying. I made you walk out into the cold, after all."

"Good to know ahead of time, then. I might've ordered more than chips," she teased.

It was with a much lighter heart that she returned to work, and her sniping colleagues didn't even bother her. She could even deal with a surly Marcus if he chose to show up for the afternoon, which he didn't. Katie pushed aside any worry or concern she had about him. He was a grown man and a Death Eater besides. If he told her he had dealt with worse, she could believe that. She just didn't have to like it.

***

Marcus heard a dull thump and then a child crying as he stepped out of the bathroom. It didn't sound like Ellina, and there was another crying child adding to the din. He felt vaguely more like himself, though still stiff and sore in places. His face, shoulder and knees were a mass of blacks and blues, though they were hidden easily enough under glamours. After dressing, he went down the stairs. Evelyn was there with Ellina and another eight of the neighborhood children. Nine children, all below the age of five, which was entry into the village school. The woman looked calm and collected, easily in her element.

He thought she must be daft, though he kept the thought to himself.

"Ah. Katie had mentioned you weren't feeling well," Evelyn remarked as he made his appearance in the living room. "You slept through lunch."

Was it really so late? After checking on the mantel clock, Marcus could see that it was. He merely shrugged at Evelyn. "I wasn't particularly hungry, I suppose."

"It's almost time for a snack, I think," Evelyn told the young ones. The older children cheered. The babies were napping and the younger toddlers merely looked at her with a smile.

Marcus watched as Evelyn managed the children though the snack time, the inevitable stealing of cookies and milk and apple slices, the shouting and the thrown toys. She seemed to have infinite patience with them, and it occurred to him that perhaps this was why she was sometimes tired and forgetful in the evenings. The oldest child in the bunch was the four year old Mickey, who enjoyed pulling on the younger girls' pigtails or stealing cookies. He didn't very much like sitting in the corner as punishment, which he did a lot that afternoon. "He's showing off for you," Evelyn commented when Marcus noted all of the time outs she had given the boy. "He's not usually so misbehaved."

"He's being a little boy."

"He's being mean," she corrected. "There's no excuse for that when he could have simply asked for another cookie. I wasn't about to keep them from him."

Marcus frowned at Evelyn. "You said it was all he could have."

"At the time," she told him, shrugging. "Too many sweets at once is too overwhelming for a child. He couldn't understand something like that, though."

"How do you handle all of them, then?"

"Very carefully," Evelyn said with a rueful smile as one of the babies woke up crying from a nap. "Excuse me."

The house elf he had brought helped clean things in the background, but the majority of the child rearing was done by Evelyn. Marcus had never given thought to what magical families did with their children if there were no house elves; honestly, he had never given thought to any other family before. It had always been him and his parents in Flint Manor, and then after his father's death when he was a third year, just him and his mother. She'd drilled responsibility and sacrifice and honor into him, but it was a different kind of thing than Evelyn had drilled into Katie and Selene. Marcus had responsibilities for the Flint line and for the purity of his blood, but his mother had no illusions about Death Eater service. They would win by sheer terror and force of will, and he had to stay out of the worst of it. She made him promise to stay with whichever group seemed to be the least likely one to get him killed. Marcus' mother believed that being a wizard was better than being a muggle or even muggleborn, but wanted no part in rampant murder and terror tactics. It was beneath a wizard to do such things, and she had approved of Marcus' last minute plan to delay the inevitable when Rudolphus Lestrange made overtures to recruit him out of Hogwarts. While it made him appear even more thick than he was, the Lestranges wanted nothing to do with idiots. Nott Senior took it as a sign that he needed a tight rein and training, and his recruits tended to stay alive. It was definitely the lesser of the two evils he had been presented with.

His mother was dead now, and had been killed during an attack in the wizarding village where she liked to do her shopping. It hadn't been long after he had taken the mark, and Marcus could never tell who had struck the final blow. It had been a messy fight there, so it could have just as easily been a Death Eater as an Order member.

The sound of more children startled him out of his reverie. These were children from the village school, staying for the hour or so between the end of school and the beginning of the pickup time for local parents. He hadn't realized that there were as many as eighteen or nineteen children at once in the house, as they were all gone by the time Katie came back from work.

This was how ordinary wizards lived, however. It was a sobering experience.

He kept out of the way as Evelyn went about her routine and the children played all over the house. They were picked up by their parents one by one, until just Ellina was left by the time Katie returned home from work.

Marcus didn't comment on her assessing gaze, on the way she seemed to linger over him as if checking to be sure there hadn't been any lasting damage from the spells cast on him. He waited until that evening, when she was getting ready for bed. Marcus put his arms around her and gently pulled her to the bed as he dropped his glamours. He ignored her gasps of shock and kissed her, waiting until she melted in his arms before pulling her down and lying on top of her to kiss her again. "You're not hurt?" she asked when the kiss broke. He ignored her, kissing his way down her neck to the curve of breast. Katie pushed on his shoulders until he looked up at her, purple bruises all along the side of his face. "Marcus, are you hurt?"

"It's nothing."

"It's not nothing," she protested.

"It's just a bruise. Nothing's broken or permanently damaged," he told her reasonably. "Bruises heal, Katie. I'll be fine."

She wanted to say something in protest, but his mouth descended to take her breast into his mouth. She gasped instead, arching up into his touch. Katie threaded her fingers through his hair, but stopped when he pulled back with a hiss. "You are hurt," she accused him, touching the bruise by his temple with cool fingers.

He watched her expression closely. "This isn't something you can fix, Katie. Not everything can be fixed."

She looked at him almost stubbornly. "Why not? Why can't I?"

Marcus cupped her face in his hand almost sadly. "You can't change the world, no matter how hard you try. Some things just can't change." He kissed her, then moved down to lick the marks her bra had left behind on her skin.

Katie ran her hands down along his back. "Everything changes. That's life, isn't it?"

Marcus followed the trail of marks to lick the curve of skin beneath her breast. She should have had tailored clothing and fittings to be sure everything fit appropriately. That was the kind of thing he had always taken for granted. "Do you think you can change me, Katie?" he asked quietly. "Do you think I can?"

"Everyone does. Even you."

He hovered above her, eyes dark with lust and mouth slightly parted. "You couldn't even save yourself from me. This isn't some fairy tale like the ones you tell Ellina," he warned her. "There is no happy ending for us. You can't save me, Katie."

_Maybe I didn't want to,_ Katie thought, reaching up to touch his face. She traced his lips with a fingertip and shivered when he drew it into his mouth. "What if I could?"

His laughter was almost bitter. "Save me from what? Being a Death Eater? It isn't some kind of horrible hell. Whatever scary thing you think it is, it isn't." He lowered himself down on top of her. If not for the garish tattoo on his arm, he wouldn't have met her again. He wouldn't be here with her now, he couldn't kiss her or bury himself inside of her. She would have been dead, her family killed just for the possible taint of Resistance on them. Whatever failings there were in the Death Eaters, he couldn't ignore that fact. If he hadn't been one of them, he couldn't have saved her. He couldn't regret a thing.

"I can't help who I am," Katie whispered, holding him close as he moved to kiss his way between her breasts and then down her belly.

He looked up at her, mouth just over her skin. "Neither can I."

Whatever Katie would have said in reply was swallowed up by the gasp she made as his lips closed over her clit. His hands held her hips in place when she would have bucked them against his mouth, and his tongue made lazy circles around her clit. She whimpered, fingers digging into his shoulder to keep from pushing him even closer. Marcus simply kept his eyes closed as he worked her clit with his tongue, breathing in the scent of her. He wanted to memorize everything about her, every second he had with her. Sooner or later this would end. Either he would be called back when no one could prove a thing, or she would be on the execution list. He would know in another week or two what it would be, and he wanted more than that with her. He wanted forever if he could get it.

He slid a finger inside of her as sucked on her clit. She made a soft keening noise, hips angled to his mouth and her legs falling to the side. He slid his finger in and out of her, slow at first, then faster as her hips bucked against his mouth. He sucked harder, fingers curled inside of her, and she tightened around his fingers. Katie moved one hand over her mouth, to muffle her cries as she twisted beneath him. She came with a cry, entire body shaking from the force of it.

Marcus slid inside of her, watching her writhe beneath him. Her eyes were closed, her head thrown back as she moaned in pleasure. She grasped his hips, pulling him tighter against her as she tried to rock against him. She came again, drawing him in after her.

Limbs tangled in hers, Marcus let himself fall asleep. He couldn't worry about the weeks to come, if she could manage to keep herself safe if he was called away. He couldn't allow himself to care more than he already did.

***

Early on Christmas Eve, the entire family went into the shop they owned. Marcus had never been there before, had no reason to. It was a shop that held all those last minute bits of things that witches and wizards might need, all conveniently located in one place. They did well despite the curfew and the crackdowns on employees; Kyle worked as the bookkeeper in the back room, and had no interaction with customers. There was the industrial business floo in one of the back rooms, and Marcus suddenly understood why there was no worry about the lack of floo in their home. There was no need to pay a fee for a second floo connection when they already had one, though he didn't know why they were headed there now.

He had dressed in a green jumper over black slacks for the occasion, and he had noted the relieved expressions on the others. Katie was in red, possibly playing up the colors of their differing Hogwarts houses. He also noted how horridly Christmasy they appeared, how much like a _couple._

"What are you playing at?" he asked her, lips against her ear before they had head out for the Bell family shop.

"I'm not playing at anything," Katie had said, voice soft. "They'll think... Please don't let them think otherwise. Marcus."

It had been a conscious effort to say his first name, to ask him to go along with her. He could have refused if he wanted to, could have pressed the issue that he was there to observe her, not to go along with whatever daft notions she had. But he slid a hand beneath her jumper and watched her shiver at his touch. "They'll see what they see and draw their own conclusions."

The Stillwaters had a fairly large home, all done up for hols. It didn't seem very much different from a wizarding home, though the pictures all sat still on the walls. Apparently Kyle had arranged for their fireplace to be connected to the floo network, something that shouldn't have been allowed. He was welcomed by his parents, as were the others. Kyle's parents looked at him beside Katie, expressions pleasant. "You must be the young man with Katie that Evelyn had mentioned," Maggie Stillwater said, grasping his arm. "So nice to meet you. Come on in, then. Happy Christmas."

Marcus merely nodded at her and her husband Curtis. "Thank you for the invitation, ma'am."

Maggie seemed pleased and brought him into the living room. "Oh, Maggie's fine, really. None of this ma'am business."

She was a little older than his own mother would have been, and Marcus' mother had always been strict about formalities and titles and respectful greetings. "My mother would have insisted to be polite," he said with a small shrug. "But if you'd rather, Maggie it is."

He ignored the stares he was getting from the Bells. He was a Death Eater, not a simpleton. He knew when to be polite and how to conform to societal niceties.

The Stillwater family was easy enough to learn. Maggie and Curtis were the parents, then there was Alexis and her second husband Graham, along with her daughter Allison and their two sons Henry and Victor. The middle Stillwater child was Derek, back from his tour overseas fighting in some muggle war. He and his fiancée Sarah were planning to leave after dinner to spend time with her family. Kyle was the youngest in the family and the only wizard. Apparently they didn't know too much about Maggie's origins, as she was adopted, and simply assumed that the magic genes came from her unknown family.

It was almost surreal, the way they accepted the presence of magic and the need to keep that society separate from their own. Though they missed seeing Kyle regularly, they respected his choice and welcomed the fire calls he made from the shop office.

Marcus felt as if he was lying to everyone in the room, even though he was after a fashion. He wasn't what any of them thought he was, and the fragments of his lies were starting to catch up with him. It would end spectacularly horribly if he was called into service tonight, he was sure.

And even if he wasn't, the charade would come crashing down eventually. The muggles were accepting him into their home, accepting his lies at face value. They trusted him because the Bells appeared to, because they didn't know any better. They welcomed him as if one of the family, and his gut churned uneasily despite the excessive cheer in the home.

He was a lie, and he almost couldn't tolerate it.

***  
***


	7. Winding Roads

Presents were opened after dinner, and Marcus belatedly realized he hadn't thought through coming to the Stillwater house. He blinked in surprise when the Stillwaters had gotten him a gift and fully expected him to open it along with everyone else. "Go on," nine year old Allison had chirped with a smile. "It's a present! Don't you want to see what it is?"

An innocent muggle. Nott Senior would have thought nothing of strangling her and leaving her body there as a warning to her family.

Marcus slowly peeled back the colored paper and stared at the book inside of it. It was a leather bound copy of Tennyson's poetry, something that no one alive even know he enjoyed. The man had been a squib, and had remarkable imagery. He looked up in surprise. "But...?"

"It was something you said once," Katie told him, taking the wrapping paper to throw away. He didn't immediately remember what she was referring to, but there was a light stain to her cheeks. Something when they were alone, when he was doing and saying completely inappropriate things for mixed company. Oh, yes. He remembered now; he had recited a line from one of the poems on the spur of the moment. She had remembered what he had said, and she had thought of something he might like for the holiday.

He hadn't even gotten her anything.

"I told them it might be a good idea," Katie was saying, still not looking at him directly. She didn't know how it might be received, was still unsure of him.

"Thank you," he murmured sincerely. "I didn't think to get anyone anything."

"Oh, don't worry about it," Maggie told him with a careless smile. If anything, it made him feel even more shriveled up inside. "There was a sale, and I was already spending too many pounds on the rest of the books, what was one more in the pile?"

The Stillwaters took it as a matter of course, though it was anything but that for Marcus. Evelyn was watching his expression carefully. She also watched Katie's carefully. Marcus didn't blame her; she was a Mum, and knew that the big, bad Death Eater was circling her precious baby girl with evil intentions.

Sometime later that evening, after Derek and Sarah left to visit her parents, Marcus found himself in a corner of the Stillwater home. Most of the others were in the living room, playing with the baby or the presents in front of the fire. Katie had gone off to the kitchen some time before and hadn't yet found her way back. When he got to the back of the house, he soon discovered why. She was talking with Alexis in hushed tones, sitting on the stairs to the second floor. He stayed where he was, listening in.

"...can't talk about with Selene, huh?" Alexis was saying sympathetically.

"It's... complicated," Katie said lamely in reply. "She's too close to it, and I'm sure she and Mum would say something about how I'm being a stupid girl."

"Whereas I made the same mistake when I was your age," Alexis said dryly. She winced when she realized what she said. "Oi, I'm now officially old. 'When I was your age,' indeed," she said with a laugh. "It was only eleven years ago."

"When did you know it was a mistake?" Katie asked quietly, a look of worry on her face.

"Do you want the official answer, or the honest one?"

"Honest one," Katie replied quickly.

"I think I always knew. Oh, he was exciting and charming and dashing and all the horrible things my Mum thought he was. But I was nineteen and she couldn't tell me no, right? I knew what I was doing, marrying so young and then getting pregnant. Don't get me wrong, I don't think it's horrible to marry so young if you know what you're doing. Maybe your lot just grows up sooner. Kyle and Selene are over the moon for each other."

"Yeah," Katie agreed with a fond smile. "He's like a brother, and just fits in with us like he's always been there."

"Yeah. I never had that." Alexis sighed. "So it wasn't a huge surprise when the arse bolted once I was pregnant and big as a house. Good thing there's divorce, eh?"

"So that's how you knew it wouldn't work? He didn't fit in?"

"Yeah. It's... It's hard to explain without sounding stupid. But we didn't want the same things, even then. He didn't give a shit about my family, didn't care I was just a clerk. Oh, not that it was bad, but you know what I mean. I wanted back in school, and he cared about the money going somewhere that wasn't booze or drugs. The storybook romance was over. He didn't want me to be me, if that sounds right. He wanted me to be what I thought I was, some silly girl out all night and not caring that I was throwing my life away."

"And Graham? How'd you know it was right with him?"

Alexis gave Katie a smile that spoke of love and sheer joy. "He's everything I didn't think I deserved. He loves Allie like his own, he loves Mum and Dad and Derek and Kyle. And even you and Selene and your Mum. And probably would love your Marcus if he sticks around. He's a good man, likes things I like and listens when I go on about something he doesn't but I do. We can sit in a room in silence not have to fill it 'cause we're nervous about it. He's just... He makes me want to be better, yeah? Pushed me to go back to school 'cause it was what I wanted, helped me with the courses so I got my certificate. He makes me happy, that sickening all your friends kind, the one where you think the world of him even if you know every last fault he's got." Alexis smiled. "Be sure he's got 'em, just like I do. But I don't care. It doesn't matter. What we've got is bigger than that, if it doesn't sound stupid. Like what my parents have got, one of those things where we could grow up together and still want to be with each other."

Katie had the same soppy smile on her face that Alexis did. "That's great, Alexis."

"So yeah. If you got that feeling with your Marcus, sod what your Mum and sister think. Rough edges go away if the heart's there."

"I... I don't know if it is," Katie admitted softly.

Alexis snorted. "Don't be an idiot, Kate. Of course it is. You don't see the way he looks at you, but I can." She laughed at Katie's confused expression. "It's not just lust, Kate. Trust me on that one. Maybe it's no storybook, but that's not real. That shite falls apart when you're not looking. You need to look for what's behind the story. If that's not there, that's not worth keeping, no matter how good the sex is."

Katie blushed fiercely. "Well..."

Alexis snickered. "That good, eh? Listen, I don't know the bloke. You do. But I think you know yourself well enough and him well enough to know what to do. And it's not like you're engaged to be married or pregnant, right? There's time enough to figure out what you want."

Katie smiled at her sister-in-law. "Thanks for the advice."

"That's what sisters are for," Alexis declared. "That and sharing chocolate. I think there's more back in the family room, if you're ready for that."

"I'll get back in a bit. I'm going to think on what you said."

Alexis patted her shoulder. "It'll work itself out, Kate, you'll see. I think we're given what we need at the time, not what we want."

With that, Alexis headed back to the living room to play with her children. She didn't see Marcus standing there in the shadows, and he waited a bit before going up to sit beside Katie. She was startled to see him, but didn't say anything. He slipped his hand through hers and looked down at their linked fingers. Alexis might've been just a muggle, but she was a perceptive one.

"Knut for your thoughts," Marcus murmured softly.

"Make it a sickle," she said with a faint smile, looking up at him.

He kissed her, soft and undemanding. His other hand rose up to cup her face almost of its own volition even as the hand looped through hers tightened. She responded to him, mouth opening beneath his. His tongue entered her mouth to touch hers, tasting the peppermint sticks and hot chocolate she'd had since dinner.

_Where does this leave us?_ he thought when the kiss ended, their foreheads bent together as they struggled to breathe. _What does this_ mean?

They sat in silence together, only starting when they heard Selene calling out "Where's Katie?"

"I should go," Katie whispered.

Neither moved. "I suppose you should," Marcus said quietly. He dropped his hand from her face, though he still had his fingers linked through hers. _You belong to them and not to me._

Katie licked her lips almost nervously, then leaned forward and gave him a soft, feathery kiss across his lips. "Happy Christmas, Marcus," she whispered before fleeing the staircase for the living room and the arms of her family.

Marcus stayed where he was for a few minutes longer. He didn't belong in this world the way she did, though suddenly he really wanted to.

***

There was no Christmas Eve invasion of any small town. There was no attack on Christmas Day, either. The day after Christmas came news of an earthquake in Scotland, though details were lacking. Even poring through the discarded files and original news reports, Katie couldn't find anything about the earthquake. There was no news along the DA coin or the Order coin, and the charmed parchment was strangely silent.

New Year's Eve passed without a word, without a battle, without any summons for Marcus from Nott Senior.

"Do you think this war is ever going to end?" Katie whispered, curled up beside him on her bed with a book in hand.

"Tired of me, are you?" Marcus replied, something of a sneer in his voice.

"No," she replied, her voice still soft. "That's not it."

_Then what?_ he wanted to say, but he remained silent. Katie wanted to ask him what he felt for her, if would consider staying without turning her in. But she felt silly, and wasn't sure if there was really something more than expediency keeping the two of them together.

Marcus pulled her close, reading over her shoulder. "You've read this one a dozen time since I've been here. Aren't you sick of it yet?"

Katie shook her head. "Sometimes it's the familiarity I'm looking for. Sometimes I discover all new bits I missed the first dozen times around."

"Well, then you weren't looking hard enough the first time around."

"Wouldn't it be boring if you knew everything about it all in the first go? Wouldn't you want to explore things for a bit?"

"It's a _book."_

"Well, I could ask why Tennyson appeals," Katie replied tartly.

Marcus said nothing, but drew a lock of her hair and curled it around his finger. She looked at him almost uncertainly, wondering at the mercurial shift in his mood. He mentally rifled through some of his favorite passages in Tennyson's works, and settled on one.

"Sometimes, with most intensity  
Gazing, I seem to see  
Thought folded over thought, smiling asleep,  
Slowly awaken'd, grow so full and deep  
In thy large eyes that, overpower'd quite,  
I cannot veil or droop my sight,  
But am as nothing in its light."

Katie shifted slightly in his arms so that she could face him. "Marcus?"

He looked at her evenly, looking for all the world as if this was a lazy afternoon for a couple to lie in bed together. "Yes?"

"That was beautiful," she whispered softly. She wouldn't have expected something like that from him, all glower and scowl and implied knowledge of torture. She didn't know what to expect anymore; he had defied any of the labels she had tried to put on him.

He remembered the rest of it, including the lines he wanted to say but couldn't: _I die with my delight before/ I hear what I would hear from thee,/ Yet tell my name again to me,/ I would be dying evermore._

"It's poetry," he said flippantly. "Good for getting a girl out of her knickers."

"It's more than that to you."

Marcus rolled his eyes. "Don't make it out to be more than it is."

Katie put her book aside and straddled his waist. "It _means_ something, doesn't it? It's more than just words. It's something important."

"It doesn't matter. It doesn't have to matter."

Katie leaned forward. "It doesn't have to, but it does. Isn't that what draws you to it? Isn't that how it all starts?"

He wanted to grab her and ask what she was playing at, what she was trying to worm out of him. He was soft around her, all his killer's instincts muted and pushed aside in favor of simply drinking in her presence. Marcus settled for tugging on her hair, pulling her in close and kissing her. She slid her arms around him as she deepened the kiss.

She wasn't afraid of him anymore. He hadn't noticed when that shift happened, when she started worrying _for_ him instead of _of_ him. She _wanted_ him there with her, even as she probably shouldn't have, and he couldn't be sorry in the slightest.

Marcus slid his hands down her sides and gripped her hips. Eyes locked to hers, he thrust up into her. She let out a gasp of pleasure, her legs drawn up around his waist. Katie grabbed hold of his shoulders for balance. She made soft mewling noises, clutching at him almost desperately, head lolling back as she rocked against him. Marcus growled as she tightened around his cock, as she tilted her hips just so. Leaning forward, Katie pressed her open mouth to his neck, struggling to breathe, unable to stop herself from moaning. He started to go faster and harder as her hands clutched him tighter against her. She made a keening noise as she came, her entire body shaking and tightening around him.

He didn't say anything as he flipped her over onto her back, as he moved inside her with fast, hard strokes. His mouth was over hers, a hand wound through her hair. She clung to him, moved beneath him, her legs up and around his waist to make the strokes slide even deeper inside of her. She held on as he came, shuddering inside of her and gasping for breath.

The following morning, as they were getting dressed for work, Marcus felt the burn of his Mark begin. Katie was choosing her jewelry, back turned to him as he had been pulling on his clothes. He remembered crashing to the floor the first time he had been summoned through the Mark, though now he almost wanted to do that. He was leaving her, leaving everything behind at a moment's notice. This wasn't the way he wanted to end it.

Katie turned, putting in the earrings she had selected. Simple stones, not even real, though she treasured them as if they were. He should have thought about getting her real ones, something of quality, something fitting her station, but he would never get the chance to do that now.

Katie took in his pale face and the way he clutched at his arm. "Marcus? Are you all right?" she whispered, reaching out for him.

He shook his head as he straightened up. "I have to go. I'm being summoned. I won't be back."

She grasped his arm and pulled up his sleeve. Her earring caught on it, but she didn't care. She was staring at the writhing Mark, ugly and burning to the touch. Katie looked up with a pained and vulnerable expression. "What happens now?"

"You're safe from me," Marcus told her, voice soft. "You've always been safe from me."

"Why won't you be back?"

"My assignment's over," he murmured, clasping her face in his hand. One last touch should be okay. One last moment before he disappeared...

Katie rushed to her bookcase and held out the gift the Stillwaters had bought for him. "Here. Take this with you. To remember us."

As if he could forget. "You keep it," he murmured, shaking his head. "To remember not to be so foolishly brave." _To remember me by,_ he wanted to say.

As if she could forget anyway. Katie pushed the book at his chest. "It's yours, Marcus," she said softly. "It means something."

He grasped her face in his hands and kissed her. Only later would he realize that she had somehow shrunk the book and tucked it into his pocket at that moment. At the time, he merely kissed her, fierce and possessive, then let go. "I'll send for my things. It isn't much, anyway," he muttered. "Better to have a clean break." Better to give her a chance to forget him, to heal and start over with someone she deserved.

But Katie grasped his hand in hers. "Won't you come back and tell me what happened?"

"No. I'll get another assignment, something different to do. Maybe someone to kill," he added, disentangling their hands. Better she didn't have a romantic view of him. Better she think of him as a heartless killer. He took in her drawn face, the stark vulnerability of it. How could she be a spy, if her face gave her away?

"Live a better life, eh?" he said, stepping back and taking out his wand. "You're a Pureblood. You should live up to that potential."

And then he was gone, meeting the summons Nott Senior had put forth. Katie Bell was cleared of any wrongdoing when no army descended on Heresford, as were several other suspected Resistance moles. He was assigned elsewhere, of course, paired off with Pucey for a change. He liked Pucey, at least. The man wasn't a mindless idiot or a power hungry amoral bastard. He was also quiet, and Marcus needed that. He needed quiet and work, something to keep him from remembering Katie everywhere he went.

The next time he saw her was five months later, at the Final Battle at Hogwarts.

***  
***


	8. Beginning Again

"Fucking idiot, you let that sodding blood traitor get away!" Higgs shouted at Marcus as they ran through the halls at Hogwarts.

Marcus had seen Angelina Johnson shoot a curse at a hooded Death Eater and had a clear shot to kill her. He had instead kept going, moving past her to strike at an Order member he couldn't recognize that was shooting wildly and was just as likely to kill an Order member as a Death Eater. The witch crumpled to the ground, stunned but still breathing. Angelina had whirled around, seen his face and ran in the opposite direction.

"There's time enough later," Marcus lied, shooting an annoyed look at Higgs. "That other one would've hit you and that was more expedient."

Higgs curled his lip in derision at Marcus. "I don't need your help to survive this, Flint. You're the thick one that won't last past tonight. Don't think I haven't noticed the way you've gotten soft over the past year."

"And what do you mean by that?" Marcus asked as he narrowed his eyes at Higgs. This was a confrontation that had been brewing since Hogwarts, though the simmer had turned into a hard boil over the past year. Higgs had never forgiven him for exonerating Katie Bell or for making him look like an overzealous fool a dozen times over since then. His ambition overstepped his abilities, but he wasn't able to see that.

"Were you fucking them all? Is that why you didn't seem to notice anything? Right under your bloody nose, and that Bell chit got off with nothing but a scare. Did she have you by the balls and lead you around, Flint? Was she that good? I should find her, take a turn at that slag—"

Marcus punched him in the nose, feeling something crack beneath his knuckles. "We have a job to do now, Higgs. Shut your bloody mouth and _move."_

"Where are your loyalties, Flint?" Higgs taunted, wiping the blood from his nose. "You haven't gone on raids, hadn't killed muggles. You aren't strong enough for this job. You don't truly honor our Lord, do you? You're just here taking up space." He pointed his wand at Marcus, unsurprised when Marcus' wand was pointed at him in return. "You're a disappointment to our cause, to your blood, to your _kind."_

"You're insane," Marcus told him flatly. "I've followed orders to the letter."

"To the letter and nothing more," Higgs spat, lips pulled back into a snarl. "You're no credit to the team, no leader. You are nothing more than a pawn."

"Think you're clever, don't you?" Marcus asked, jaw set. "The old man hates you. He wants nothing to do with you but can't get rid of you because no one else wants you either." He saw the slight wobble to Higgs' wand, knew he had him. "You're quick to call everyone else a failure, but the only one that fails is you. You're the one under the longest, you're the one cursed at every single meeting. You're the one that fails."

Higgs' eye twitched, and he shouted "Crucio!"

Marcus had seen it coming and ducked out of the way. He sent a series of slashing hexes at Higg's chest, and the man fell to the ground. Marcus stood over his body, seeing the hatred in the other man's eyes. "You never knew when to quit," Marcus told him. "Sometimes you just have to cut your losses and let go to survive."

"Fuck you," Higgs spat, reaching for the wand he'd dropped. "You're just as much a traitor to our kind as those bloody Weasley brats!"

Marcus lazily threw the slashing hex at Higgs' throat. "You're going to bleed to death," Marcus told him as he squatted down beside Higgs. He took the man's wand and pocketed it. "You're going to die in a few minutes, and you'll know it's because you failed. Thick as I am, I'm still better than you."

He stood and took maybe three steps when he froze. He didn't even hear Higgs' gurgles any longer. He was stuck in place, staring at the slight figure in the familiar red jumper standing three feet in front of him. Katie had seen the entire exchange, and not far away from her were the two Weasley twins Higgs must have been referring to.

"You're here," he said dumbly, staring at her.

"Yeah. So are you," she replied, pale and shocked.

Her wand arm was down, at her side. He could have shot her with a spell, could have done something other than stare at her. "You lied to me, then," he said. His hands were numb. That was why he couldn't move, it seemed. His hands were numb and he couldn't use numb hands to curse her with.

"I guess I did," she said, voice soft. She had a pained expression on her face, as vulnerable and raw as when he had last seen her. "I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry, too," he replied.

He watched her run off, back toward the Weasley twins, Angelina Johnson and Alicia Spinnet and the rest of the Gryffindors she must have arrived with. His chest was a gaping hole, as if he had been the one slashed open, as if he had been the one left bleeding to death over Hogwarts' stones. Marcus turned and saw Higgs' glassy eyes staring upward and kicked the corpse viciously. It was his fault things had turned out this way, why things were broken and aching and impossible to repair.

He didn't know what happened next. He cursed a few people, probably killed a few more. He stumbled when he was hit with a vertigo spell, and stayed down for a while. Marcus was fairly certain he had killed a few Death Eaters as well as Order members, was fairly certain he was going to die in the battle. He didn't belong to either side anymore, anyway.

Only, he lived.

He couldn't find Katie anywhere, and the Order members weren't about to tell any captured Death Eaters anything. He sat there and let his wand be taken away. He still had Higgs' wand tucked inside his robes, but he kept silent. It didn't feel real, any of it. His vision worked, but it was a sort of tunnel vision. He could hear things, but it seemed so very far away and distant, so unimportant to what was going on.

At the end of it all, he was surprised to find out that he was being released. No death penalty, no life in Azkaban. He had to pay a hefty fine and serve five years' probation to the new Ministry of Magic, some of it as community service. Something broke inside of his chest when he was assigned groundskeeper duty to various public parks and grounds, but he kept his mouth shut and his head down.

It was another year before he saw Katie Bell again.

***

Katie couldn't stop the whoop of pure joy that shot through her at the sight of her name on the roster for Puddlemere United's reserve team. She had hoped for a seat on their list or on the Falmouth Falcons' lists, as they were her favorite teams. She knew players on both, and was ecstatic to have finally realized her dream. She had spent every weekend after the Final Battle, rain or shine, on the public pitches near her home or practicing on Hogwarts grounds. With the repeal of the Muggleborn taxes, Selene and Kyle had been able to hire on more help and stay at home more, which left Katie free to do as she pleased. And it pleased her to fly, to zoom about and _fly._

Her new teammates were pleased, and had planned a party for whoever the new recruits would be. Finding out it was their old friend Katie Bell had made it even better. She grinned at them, teasing Oliver Wood about it being almost like the Gryffindor House team all over again. She thought she saw a familiar dark head out of the corner of her eyes, and her heart stopped as she turned around to look.

Marcus Flint was standing at the edge of the pitch unobtrusively, half hidden behind the shrubs.

"Oi, I'll meet up with you lot later," Katie called with a grin. She waved them off and watched them head out. She jogged over to where Marcus was standing, his face shuttered but his eyes looking at her almost longingly. "Marcus."

"Katie," he murmured, nodding. "You made the team, then."

"Yeah," she said, almost shy. "You came out to watch the open tryouts?"

He smiled at her then, almost self-deprecatingly. "Well, yes and no. Not exactly just for you." He shrugged at her confused look. "It's been a long time, Katie."

"Yeah," she said, nodding. It suddenly felt as if her voice was dried up in her throat, and she was a vulnerable girl standing naked in front of him. "You look good," she said, a catch in her throat. He did look good. She'd looked for his name on the lists for Azkaban or the executions and never found it, but she had been too scared to find bad news if she looked for him specifically.

"Seems like someone said a few good words about me," Marcus replied with a shrug. "Seems like maybe I had a friend someplace."

"Maybe you did," Katie agreed, nodding. She had talked to Kingsley Shacklebolt, and she knew Angelina Johnson had as well.

"I got a fine and probation. Somehow they knew I was good at raking leaves."

They smiled at each other then, and Katie nearly reached out to touch his arm. "So you've been doing okay, then?"

"Yeah. I probably didn't deserve it. I didn't treat my friend as well as I should have."

Katie almost couldn't breathe. "Maybe your friend understood what was happening."

He gave her a sad tilt to his lips. "Maybe," he agreed. "But she deserved a lot better than she got," he told her in a quiet voice.

Katie almost wanted to cry, though she held her ground. "Maybe she could forgive him if he tried to ask for it."

Marcus snorted. "Not bloody likely, that." He stepped forward, almost crowding into her personal space. "It shouldn't be forgiven, exactly," he said, gaze locked to hers. "It wasn't entirely bad, but it wasn't right, either. But maybe we can start again." He flashed her a smile and extended his hand. "I'm Marcus Flint."

The knot that had formed in her chest unfurled and Katie grinned at him, clasping his hand warmly in hers. After he had left her, she had curled up to sleep with his jumpers every night for months. She still didn't have a good night's sleep alone. She still missed him. "Katie Bell," she said, squeezing his hand in hers.

"Congratulations on the spot, there. It was tough competition."

"You watched the whole thing?"

"Someone had to trim the shrubbery. I'm surprisingly good at it." They grinned at each other then, and Marcus found himself stroking the inside of her wrist as if no time had passed at all. He even saw the same dilation in her eyes, the same parting of her lips. "You deserve it, Katie. You deserve all the good things that are happening for you."

Her smile was soft and sweet, the kind he used to dream about. "Thanks, Marcus. I'm glad things turned out okay for you."

He was alone in the mausoleum of his estate, but he was alive and still carried the ghost of her under his fingertips. He supposed it was a fate better than death. "Well, could be worse," he replied with a shrug. "But things are looking up. Now you're on the team. You'll have to quit your day job."

Katie laughed, a full bodied sound he had very rarely heard before. "In an instant. And once I've saved enough, eventually my own flat. Between long practices and when my sister has her baby soon, it's going to be a mess."

"Another baby?" he asked, more out of polite interest than really caring what Selene was up to.

"A boy this time. They can hardly wait." Katie looked down at their clasped hands, wondering what it would feel like to carry his child, to have his hands resting on her belly as Kyle did to Selene every night. "They'll be great parents."

"So you'll move out soon." Katie nodded, and he wondered if it was too soon to ask her to move into Flint Manor. He had missed her more than he had been willing to admit, even to himself.

"I'll miss them, I think, but I'd like a new place."

"How about I buy you a pint? To celebrate the reserve slot, I mean."

Her smile froze and faltered. "They're throwing a party tonight for all of us. I can't."

Marcus nodded, even though his insides ran cold. "Of course. You should go do that..."

"But tomorrow," she said quickly, looking at him earnestly, eyes wide with hope. "I'm free tomorrow. And other nights after that."

He gave her a slow smile, his hand sliding up her arm to her elbow. "Tomorrow, then? Shall I come fetch you? We'll have dinner, then. Restart this properly."

Her grin was blinding. "I'd really like that."

Marcus leaned forward and gave her a gentle kiss on the lips. "Until tomorrow, then."

Katie smiled softly, and kissed him back. "Tomorrow," she agreed.

He watched her jog across the pitch and enter the building to rejoin the others. He smiled as he left the area to get his work equipment. As he walked to the apparition point, he found himself whistling a tune that may have been one of Katie's favorite songs.

Maybe this brave new world was worth living in, after all.

 

The End.


End file.
